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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26700193">Watching The Avengers(2012)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account'>orphan_account</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Avengers react, Gen, The Avengers (2012) - Freeform, Watching Marvel Movies</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 05:35:35</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>24,844</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26700193</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Up Next: The Avengers</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Brunnhilde | Valkyrie &amp; Loki (Marvel), Clint Barton &amp; Natasha Romanov, Gamora/Peter Quill, Peggy Carter/Steve Rogers, Pepper Potts/Tony Stark, Scott Lang/Hope Van Dyne, Wanda Maximoff/Vision</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>204</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Introduction</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>The theory that Loki was influenced by the scepter and tortured is in this reaction. I mean its obvious, the signs are all there. I like Loki so I'm probably not going to make him out to be as much a villain as I should, sorry.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"So that's that." Steve said, awkwardly. </p><p>"I do have an announcement before we start this next one. You all know that Loki used the scepter to control Agent Barton and Dr. Selvig, but what you all don't know is that the scepter was also influencing him, but in a different way." "I knew it." Coulson whispered. "I had a feeling there was an outside force here, ever since that conversation in the heli-carrier." Natasha said.</p><p>"What?" Thor asked. Loki looked uncomfortable. "Why didn't you say anything?" Thor asked. "Well one thing: would you have believed me if I had?"Loki asked, Thor stayed quiet, admittedly he probably wouldn't have. "It did always bug me that he was so compliant after we found him" Clint said. "And for another: it wouldn't have made much of a difference after the control broke, those things still happened and I still instigated them."</p><p>"I'm not saying he's innocent of all of his crimes, all I'm saying is that there is more to this story than what meets the eye." Loraine said.</p><p>"But his eyes were never glowing." Clint protested, not wanting to believe this. "It was a different type of mind control, Agent Barton. While yours was direct and he made you essentially do his bidding, Loki was under the influence of the scepter but he was also the wielder, he didn't know he was controlled until it broke, he remembers everything. The scepter was amplifying his rage, resentment and betrayal not entirely making him do things." </p><p>"So if you weren't forced to subjugate us through the scepter then why, or how?" Bruce asked. "I had an agreement, I owed a debt to someone sort of. If I disagreed then-" "So you came here for repayment?" "He saved my life and asked this in return."</p><p>"Wait, there's something I don't understand." Natasha said. They all stared at her. "I had to hit Clint really hard on the head to break the scepter's control on him... nobody here is strong enough to do that kind of damage on Loki, beside Thor and... Hulk." Everyone stared at Bruce. "JARVIS did Hulk come into contact with Loki at any point that day?" "He did, sir. The Hulk threw Loki into the floor 7 times."  "That answers that question."</p><p>"Who was this man that controlled you?" Thor asked, remembering his words on the cliff when he was arguing with Loki. 'Who controls the would be King?' "As I said before, when I fell through the void, I came into contact with The Mad Titan himself, and through him... The Other. It was a collective effort to break me."</p><p>"And why should we believe what you have to say? You're a pathological liar, a story teller." Tony accused. "Well it's simple, you see me now, 5 years later and you knew the me 5 years ago for about a week, I ask you what differences do you see?" Loki asked. "No more bag of cats, your mind seems much clearer now, even if you still don't rub me the right way." Bruce said.</p><p>"I still don't like him." Clint said. "Nobody's asking you to like him Clint." Natasha said. "How do we know you're telling us the truth, Lorraine?" Fury asked. "What reason do I have to lie to you? Look I don't care whether you believe me or not, all I ask is that you all pay closer attention to Loki's actions in the upcoming film." Fury nodded.</p><p>'Up next: The Avengers'</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. The tesseract has awakened.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>The tesseract is shown. "The tesseract has awakened. It is on a little world. A human world. They would wield its power But our ally knows its workings as they never will. He is ready to lead. *He hands Loki the scepter* And our force, our Chitauri, will follow." The Other says.</b>
</p><p>"Who's speaking?" Thor asked.</p><p>"His name is The Other." Loki said, looking mildly uncomfortable. </p><p>
  <b>Thousands of Chitauri are preparing for battle. "The world will be his. The universe yours. And the humans, what can they do but burn?"</b>
</p><p>"The world will be who's?" Tony asked.</p><p>"Thanos'" Loki answered. </p><p>
  <b>A helicopter flies over a SHIELD base. "All personnel, the evacuation order has been confirmed." Someone says over a PA. Agents are fleeing the premises.</b>
</p><p>
  <b> Coulson watches as a helicopter lands, Maria and Fury step out of it. " How bad is it?" Fury asks. </b>
</p><p><b>"That's the problem sir. We don't know." Coulson says.</b> </p><p>"Its very bad." Steve said.</p><p>
  <b>They enter the building. "Dr. Selvig read an energy surge from the Tesseract four hours ago." Coulson explains. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"NASA didn't authorize Selvig to test phase." Fury says. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"He wasn't testing it, he wasn't even in the room. Spontaneous advancement."</b>
</p><p>
  <b> "It just turned itself on?" Maria asks. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"What are the energy levels?" Fury questions. Scientists are packing up their things. </b>
</p><p><b>"Climbing. When Selvig couldn't shut it down, we ordered evac."</b> </p><p>"Well, it's an infinity stone. A pretty much uncontrollable force." Gamora said.</p><p>"Infinity stone? What?" Bruce asked. </p><p>
  <b>"How long to get everyone out?" </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Campus should be clear in the next half hour." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Do better."</b>
</p><p>Scott stuttered out a laugh.</p><p>
  <b>Fury and Hill are walking down a set of stairs. "Sir, evacuation may be futile." Hill says. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"We should tell them to go back to sleep?" Fury asks. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"If we can't control the Tesseract's energy, there may not be a minimum safe distance."</b>
</p><p>"She's right, you obviously know very little about this object." Strange said.</p><p>"Oh, and you do?" Fury asked. </p><p>
  <b>"I need you to make sure Phase 2 prototypes are shipped out." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Sir, is that really a priority right now?"</b>
</p><p>"It shouldn't have been a priority." Steve said. </p><p>
  <b>"Until such a time as the world ends, we will act as though it intends to spin on. Clear out the tech below. Every piece of Phase 2 on a truck and gone." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Yes, sir *she turns to some agents* With me." She says and leaves. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>Fury walks up to Selvig. "Talk to me doctor." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Director."</b>
</p><p>
  <b> "Is there anything we know for certain?" Selvig walks over to Fury.</b>
</p><p>"There isn't." </p><p>
  <b>"The Tesseract is misbehaving." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Is that supposed to be funny?" </b>
</p><p><b>"No, it's not funny at all. The Tesseract is not only active, she's... misbehaving." Selvig explains.</b> </p><p>"Really? I was certain it was doing exactly what it was supposed to." Loki said, quietly. </p><p><b>"How soon until you pull the plug?"</b> </p><p>"You can't." Nebula said.</p><p>
  <b>"She's an energy source. If we turn off the power, she turns it back on. If she reaches peak level-" </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"We've prepared for this doctor. Harnessing energy from space."</b>
</p><p>"I don't think you prepared for exactly this, but there's no way anyone could have known what would happen." Bruce said. </p><p><b>"We don't have the harness. Our calculations are far from complete. Now she's throwing off interference, radiation. Nothing harmful, low levels of gamma radiation."</b> </p><p>"Sounds pretty harmful to me." Clint said. </p><p>
  <b>"That can be harmful. Where's Barton?" "</b>
</p><p>
  <b>The Hawk? Up in his nest, as usual"</b>
</p><p>"It is not my nest." Clint protested.</p><p>"Sure." Natasha mocked.</p><p>
  <b>Clint is in the rafters watching them. "Agent Barton, report." Clint climbs down and starts walking with Fury. "I gave you this detail so you could keep a close eye on things." Fury says. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Well, I see better from a distance." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Are you seeing anything that might set this thing off?" </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Doctor, it's spiking again." A scientist tells Selvig.</b>
</p><p><b> "No one's come or gone. It's oven is clean. No contacts, no I.M.'s. If there was any tampering, sir, it wasn't at this end."</b> </p><p>"See, he understands. You're not the only ones that have access to it." Valkyrie said.</p><p>
  <b>"At this end?" Fury asks. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Yeah, the cube is a doorway to the other end of space, right? The doors open from both sides."</b>
</p><p>"I see I'm the only one there who actually thought about that." Clint said. </p><p>
  <b>"Not yet." Selvig mumbles. The tesseract starts emitting blue energy, a shock wave shakes the facility. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>The tesseract opens a portal on the other side of the room. The portal vanishes and Loki is in its place. He stands up slowly. "Sir please put down the spear."</b>
</p><p>"I think that's the only time I've ever hears Fury say please." Natasha mused. </p><p><b>Loki looks at the scepter and back at Fury.</b> </p><p>Now that the light is on Loki, the avengers did as Loraine told them, looked more closely. "You are looking a little worse for wear there, Reindeer games." Tony said. </p><p><b>Loki fires. Agents start shooting, Loki jumps and stabs the agent. Two more agents start shooting at him, the bullets ricochet off of him and hit them. He kills a few more agents then stands still.</b> </p><p>Thor noticed something off about Loki as well. Normally he wouldn't attack first, in fact he always scolded Thor for doing exactly that throughout their youth. But he kept these thoughts to himself. </p><p>
  <b>Clint stands up, Loki disarms him and twists his arm.</b>
</p><p>Off-screen, Clint look murderous.</p><p>
  <b>"You have heart." Loki says and presses the scepter to his chest. Clint's eyes turn black, then his irises turn a bright blue, the color of the scepter.</b>
</p><p>"Ok I don't want to ask, but I'm going to anyway. Why me?" Clint asked. "And don't say it was because 'I had heart' there are so many people you could have taken so why me?"</p><p>"You seemed competent." Loki said.</p><p>Clint was unsure whether to be complimented or insulted so he went for both. "Thank you... you dick!" </p><p><b>Fury is packing away the tesseract, Loki presses the scepter to another agents chest. Fury gets ready to leave. "Please, don't. I still need that." Loki says.</b> </p><p>"I don't think he's just going to give it to you." Valkyrie said.</p><p>
  <b>"This doesn't have to get any messier." Fury says. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Of course it does. I've come too far for anything else. I am Loki of Asgard, and I am burdened with glorious purpose." Loki says. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Loki? Brother of Thor?" Selvig asks. </b>
</p><p><b>"We have no quarrel with your people."</b> </p><p>"No... not my people, but there are others who mean to start a war." Loki said.</p><p>"There are always people why want to start a war, just last week you were one of them... well their last week not your last week." Coulson said.</p><p>
  <b>"An ant has no quarrel with a boot." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"You planning to step on us?" </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"I come with glad tidings, of a world made free." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Free from what?" </b>
</p><p>
  <b>" Freedom. Freedom is life's great lie."</b>
</p><p>"He's not technically wrong about that one." MJ said.</p><p>"Explain." Clint said.</p><p>"Well, humans are a race of colonizers, pillagers, conquerors, we promise freedom, but only for certain people." She said. "You don't really believe the lies the government tells us... do you?" She asks. "I'm not saying I agree with what he did, I'm saying that his point is right... sort of"</p><p>
  <b>"Once you accept that, in your heart *He turns to Selvig and presses the scepter to his chest* You will know peace." He says. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Yeah, you say peace, I kind of think you mean the other thing." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>Clint walks up to Loki. "Sir, Director Fury is stalling. This place is about to blow. Drop a hundred feet of rock on us. He means to bury us." He says. </b>
</p><p><b>"Like the Pharaohs of old."</b> </p><p>"Well, if that were to happen, then, the control on everyone would break and we would all be fine, but of course things never work out the way we want them to until the last minute." Tony said.</p><p>
  <b>"He's right. The portal is collapsing in on itself. You got maybe two minutes before this goes critical." Loki turns to Clint. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Well then." </b>
</p><p><b>Clint shoots Fury, who falls to the ground.</b> </p><p>"You didn't take the head-shot." Natasha noticed. Clint looked at her, silently asking her to elaborate. "We both know you could have hit it, there's a reason you didn't."</p><p>"Are you telling that some part of my mind was still my own, and recognized Fury as someone important so that's why I didn't kill him when I had the chance?"</p><p>"I know it probably sounds crazy-"</p><p>"It makes sense."</p><p>
  <b>Clint grabs the case with the tesseract, they all walk away. Loki stumbles a bit. They walk out to the parking lot. </b>
  <b>"Need these vehicles." Clint says. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Who's that?" Maria asks. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"He didn't tell me."</b>
</p><p>Quill snickered a bit. A few people looked at him, confused. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry but that was a little funny." He says.</p><p>"Peter, stop laughing." Gamora said.</p><p>"I'm sorry." Quill's expression sobered.</p><p>
  <b>They get into the car. Maria walks away slowly. "Hill. do you copy?" Fury asks over comms. "Barton has turned." He says. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>Maria turns around quickly, Clint shoots her, she quickly darts behind a wall and shoots at him as he drives away. Inside, Fury stands up. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"They have  the Tesseract! Shut them down." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>Maria gets into a car and starts chasing them. Loki fires at one of the cars with the scepter. Fury starts to run out of the building, agents lose their footing and fall down the stairs. </b>
</p><p>"That's what I'm scared of happening to me. In my dreams I'm always in the middle of the road and a car is coming at me and I cant get up the curb fast enough." Ned said.</p><p>"Shut up Ned." Peter whispered.</p><p>
  <b>Coulson stands, the agents go to grab the things that fell. "Okay let's go. No leave it go!" He commands. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>Maria gets her car in front of Clint's and shoots at him. Coulson and his agents are out of the building. </b>
</p><p><b>"We're clear upstairs, sir. You need to go." He says. Fury gets out of the building and into the helicopter. Clint throws Maria off. Fury takes off in the helicopter. The building crumbles.</b> </p><p>"Oh, my god." Wanda whispers in horror. </p><p>
  <b>Maria gets stuck in the wreckage. Clint, Selvig and Loki escape. Fury starts to follow them, he leans out of the helicopter and starts shooting at him. Loki fires at the helicopter, sending it spiraling down. Fury jumps out before it crashes. Loki, Clint and Selvig get away. "Fury? Director Fury, do you copy?" Coulson asks. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"The tesseract is with a hostile force. I have men down. Hill?" </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"A lot of men still under. I don't know how many survivors." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Sound a general call. I want every living sou, not working in rescue looking for that briefcase." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Roger that." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Coulson, get back to base. This is a level 7. As of right now, we are at war." </b>
</p><p><b>"What do we do?"</b> </p><p>"For what it's worth, however little it may be to you, I am sorry for the destruction caused to your city." Loki said.</p><p>"It ain't worth much but I accept your apology, you aren't forgiven though." Fury said.</p><p>"I expected as much." Loki said, the teleported over to Clint. "And I do apologize for taking your mind." He said then teleported away.</p><p>Clint stayed silent, not ready to accept the apology. While this may have been five years ago for Loki, it was five days ago for the avengers, the memories are still fresh.</p><p><b>Natasha is tied to a chair in a broken down building, 4 men surround her. One of them hits her in the face.</b> </p><p>"What are you doing tied to a chair?" Steve asked.</p><p>"Sometimes you need to get captures to get information." Natasha answered.</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>"This is not how I wanted this evening to go."</em>
  </b>
  <b> Luchkov says. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>"I know how you wanted this evening to go. Believe me, this is better."</em>
  </b>
  <b> Natasha responds. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>"Who are you working for? Lermentov, yes.</em>
  </b>
  <b> *one of the men walks over to Natasha and tips her chair backwards* </b>
  <b>
    <em>Does he think we have to go through him to move our cargo?" </em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>"I thought general Solohob is in charge of export business." </em>
  </b>
  <b>The man lets her chair back down. </b>
  <b>
    <em>"</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Solohob, a bagman, a front. Your outdated information betrays you. The famous Black Widow and she turns out to be just another pretty face."</em>
  </b>
  
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>"You really think I'm pretty?"</em>
  </b>
</p><p>A few people laughed at the comeback.</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>"Tell Lermentov we don't need him to move the tanks.</em>
  </b>
  <b> *Someone grabs Natasha's jaw* </b>
  <b>
    <em>Tell him he is out well..."</em>
  </b>
  <b> He grabs a pair of pliers. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>Someone gets a phone call. </b>
  <b>
    <em>"Its for her."</em>
  </b>
  <b> He says. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>Luchkov takes the phone. </b>
  <b>
    <em>"You listen carefully-"</em>
  </b>
  
</p><p>
  <b>"You're at 1-14 silensky plaza, 3rd floor we have an F-22 exactly 8 miles out put the woman on the phone or I will blow up the block before you can make the lobby." Coulson says over the phone.</b>
</p><p>
  <b> Luchkov hold the phone to Natasha's ear. "We need you to come in."</b>
</p><p>
  <b> "Are you kidding? I'm working!" </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"This takes precedence." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"I'm in the middle of an interrogation. This moron is giving me everything." Luchkov looked confused. </b>
</p><p><b>"I didn't give everything." Natasha gives him a look.</b> </p><p>"He kind of did." Hope said. </p><p>
  <b>"Look, you can't pull me out of this right now." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Natasha. Barton's been compromised." </b>
</p><p><b>"Let me put you on hold." Luchkov takes the phone. Natasha kicks him in his no no area. Still tied to a chair, she stands up, kicks one of the man and wacks another with the chair. She forces the chair down on one's foot and backwards headbutts him. Coulson is listening to all of this.</b> </p><p>A few people giggled.</p><p>
  <b>She front-flips onto another guy to break the chair. She kicks the last guy in the chest, backs up to get a running start, spins her thighs around his head and takes him down. She ties Luchkov's ankle to a chain and tosses him through the hole in the floor. She picks up the phone and her heels. </b>
</p><p>"Badass." MJ said. </p><p>
  <b>"Where's Barton now?" She asks. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"We don't know." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"But he's alive." </b>
</p><p>"He's alive." Clint said. "Obviously." </p><p>
  <b>"We think so. I'll brief you on everything when you get back. But first, we need you to talk to the big guy." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Coulson, you know that Stark only trusts me about as far as he can throw me."</b>
</p><p>"We keep each other at an arms length." Natasha said.</p><p>"What makes you think I'm the big guy?" Tony asked. Natasha gave him a look that said 'isn't it obvious?'. </p><p>
  <b>"No, I've got Stark. You get the big guy." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Bozhe moi."</b>
</p><p>"Sorry Bruce." Natasha said.</p><p>"No it's fine, I get that reaction a lot. People tend to be wary around a guy that can kill you with a single punch when he's angry." </p><p>
  <b>A little girl is running through a small village in Calcutta. She runs into a house, 5 people are inside, including Bruce who is washing his hands. </b>
  <b>
    <em>"Who are you? Get out! There is sickness here!"</em>
  </b>
  <b> The woman exclaims. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"You're a doctor! </b>
  <b>
    <em>My fathers not waking up. He has a fever and he's moaning, but his eyes won't open."</em>
  </b>
  <b> The little girl says, Bruce walks over to them. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>"Slow down." </em>
  </b>
  <b>Bruce says. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>"My father..." </em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>"Like them?"</em>
  </b>
  <b> Bruce asks and points to 2 sick children. </b>
</p><p><b>"Please."</b> </p><p>"I must admit. She was very convincing." Bruce said.</p><p>"What?" A few people asked.</p><p><b>The little girl leads Bruce to a house. She climbs through a window. "Should have gotten paid up front, Banner." Bruce says to himself.</b> </p><p>"So, it was a setup." Steve said. </p><p>
  <b>Natasha walks in. "You know, for a man who's supposed to be avoiding stress, you picked a hell of a place to settle." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Avoiding stress isn't the secret." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Then, what is it? Yoga?"</b>
</p><p>"No."</p><p>
  <b>"You brought me to the edge of the city, smart. I uh... assume the whole place is surrounded?" </b>
</p><p><b>"Just you and me."</b> </p><p>"That's not true." Loki said, quietly.</p><p>"What to you mean" Strange asked, equally as quiet.</p><p>"They would be idiots if they sent her in there alone with him, I know for a fact nobody who worked for them at the time trusted Bruce." He answered. </p><p>
  <b>"And your actress buddy, is she a spy too? Do they start that young?"</b>
</p><p><b> "I did."</b> </p><p>"That was different and you know it?" Clint said.</p><p>"How, how is that any different?"</p><p>
  <b>"Who are you?" </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Natasha Romanoff."</b>
</p><p>
  <b> "Are you here to kill me, Miss Romanoff? Because that's not gonna work out for everyone."</b>
</p><p>
  <b> "No. No. Of course not. I'm here on behalf of SHIELD." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"SHIELD. How did they find me?" </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"We never lost you, doctor. We've kept our distance, even helped keep some other interested parties off your scent." "</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Why?" </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Nick Fury seems to trust you. But now I need you to come in." </b>
</p><p>"Nick Fury does not trust me." Bruce said.</p><p>
  <b>"What if I said no?" "I'll persuade you." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"And what if the... other guy says no?" </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"You've been more than a year without an incident. I don't think you wanna break that streak."</b>
</p><p>"We both know it doesn't work that way. I don't have any control over him." Bruce said.</p><p>
  <b>"I don't, every time, get what I want." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Doctor, we're facing a potential global catastrophe." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Well, those I actively try to avoid." </b>
</p><p>A few laughs were heard.</p><p>
  <b>She holds out her phone, a picture of the tesseract is on the screen. "This This is the Tesseract. It has the potential energy to wipe out the planet." Bruce picks up the phone and looks at the picture.</b>
</p><p>"Which is exactly you shouldn't have been experimenting with it like that." Gamora said.</p><p>"Oh and you should." Fury asked.</p><p>"No one should. All I'm saying id you should use it for what it is not for what it can be or for what you think it can be."</p><p>"And how are you such an expert on this?"</p><p>"I don't have to answer that."</p><p><b>"What does Fury want me to do? Swallow it?"</b> </p><p>"I'll have you know, Dr Banner, that something has already tried." Fury says. </p><p>
  <b>"Well, he wants you to find it. It's been taken. It emits a gamma signature that's too weak for us to trace. There's no one that knows gamma radiation like you do. If there was, that's where I'd be." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"So Fury isn't after the monster?" </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Not that he's told me."</b>
</p><p>
  <b> "And he tells you everything?" </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Talk to Fury, he needs you on this."</b>
</p><p>
  <b> "He needs me in a cage?" </b>
</p><p><b>"No one's gonna put you in a-"</b> </p><p>"Maybe not but you tried." Bruce said. </p><p>
  <b>Bruce slaps the table. "Stop lying to me!" Natasha pulls out a gun. Bruce backs away, half-smiling. " I'm sorry, that was mean. I just wanted to see what you'd do. Why don't we do this the easy way, where you don't use that, and the other guy doesn't make a mess? Okay? Natasha-"</b>
</p><p><b> Natasha, still shaken lowers her gun. "Stand down. We're good here." The agents surrounding the house lower their guns.</b> </p><p>
  <b>"Just you and me?"</b>
</p><p>"You were testing her." Shuri said.</p><p>"I wouldn't call it a test, well I would, but I was proving to her that I knew she was lying." Bruce said.</p><p>"And how, exactly, did you know I was lying?" Natasha asked.</p><p>"I knew nobody at SHIELD trusted me, would they have really sent you to come and get me alone?" </p><p>
  <strong>Fury is talking with the counsel members. "This is out of line, Director. You're dealing with forces you can't control." </strong>
</p><p>"He's right." Tony said. Fury glared at him. <span class="u"><b><em>(I know I seem a little anti- SHIELD in this, but I personally think they were idiots for trying to control the tesseract)</em></b></span></p><p>
  <b>"You ever been in a war, Councilman? In a firefight? Did you feel an overabundance of control?" Fury asked.</b>
</p><p>
  <b> "You saying that this Asgard has declared war on our planet?" </b>
</p><p><b>"Not Asgard, Loki."</b> </p><p>"Not me, Thanos. I was a mere pawn in the grand scheme of things. Sent here to do his bidding." Loki said.</p><p>"So you were a puppet." Clint said.</p><p>
  <b>"He can't be working alone. What about the other one? His brother."</b>
</p><p>Thor looked insulted, that that man thought he would bring harm to Earth.</p><p>
  <b>"Our intelligence says, Thor is not a hostile. But he's worlds away, we can't depend on him to help. It's up to us." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Which is why you should be focusing on phase 2, it was designed for exactly-"</b>
</p><p>"Designed exactly for what?" Hank asked.</p><p>"Other-worldly threats." Coulson answered.</p><p>"Well, in that case, based on the what green and angry just told us, maybe they are necessary." Tony said. "Just not here." He added. </p><p>
  <b>"PHASE 2 isn't ready, our enemy is. We need a response team." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"The Avengers Initiative was shut down."</b>
</p><p><b> "We're running the world's greatest covert security network and you're gonna leave the fate of human race to a handful of freaks."</b> </p><p>The avengers looked offended.</p><p>"It's because of us that the human race isn't extinct." Tony said. </p><p><b>"I'm not leaving anything to anyone. We need a response team. These people maybe isolated, unbalanced even, but I believe with the right push they can be exactly what we need."</b> </p><p>"You had an awful lot of faith in us." Tony said.</p><p>"I was right, wasn't I?" Fury said. </p><p>
  <b>"You believe?" </b>
</p><p>
  <b>" War isn't won by sentiment, Director." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"No, it's won by soldiers."</b>
</p><p>Tony looked irked at the comparison. </p><p>
  <b>Steve is in a gym punching a punching bag. Flashes of memories appear on the screen. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"There's not enough I gotta put her in the water!" Steve's voice says. The plane crash memory appears. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"You won't be alone." Peggy's voice says. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Oh my god this guy's still alive." A mans voice says. He breaks the punching bag. </b>
</p><p>"Steve." Peggy said. Steve shook his head. Peggy got the message, he didn't want to talk about it. </p><p>
  <b>He picks up another one and puts it up and starts punching it. "Trouble sleeping?" Fury asks.</b>
</p><p>
  <b> " I slept for seventy years, sir. I think I've had my fill."</b>
</p><p>A few people laughed.</p><p>
  <b>"Then you should be out, celebrating, seeing the world." Steve stops, walks over to a bench and takes the tape off of his hands. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"I went under, the world was at war, I wake up, they say we won. They didn't say what we lost." </b>
</p><p><b>"We've made some mistakes along the way. Some very recently."</b> </p><p>"You admit it." Scott cheered.</p><p>
  <b>"You here with a mission, sir?" </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"I am."</b>
</p><p>
  <b> "Trying to get me back in the world?" </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Trying to save it." He hands Steve an open file, the tesseract is shown. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"HYDRA's secret weapon." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Howard Stark fished that out of the ocean when he was looking for you. He thought what we think, the Tesseract could be the key to unlimited sustainable energy. That's something the world sorely needs." </b>
</p><p>"You should have kept it there." Steve told Howard.</p><p>
  <b>"Who took it from you?" </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"He's called Loki. He's not from around here. There's a lot we'll have to bring you up to speed on if you're in. The world has gotten even stranger than you already know." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"At this point, I doubt anything would surprise me." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Ten bucks says you're wrong. There's a debriefing package waiting for you back at your apartment." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Is there anything you can tell us about the Tesseract that we ought to know now?" </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"You should have left it in the ocean."</b>
</p><p>"One thing we can agree on." Tony said.</p><p>Howard looked a little guilty, maybe he should have left it there but who knows who might have gotten their hands on it if he had. </p><p>
  <b>Tony is under water, using his suit to cut a hole in a tube. He takes out a device and attaches it to the tube. He flies out of the water and toward the tower. "Good to go on this end. The rest is up to you." He says. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"You disconnected the transition lines? Are we off the grid" Pepper asks. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Stark Tower is about to become a beacon of self-sustaining clean energy." Tony says. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Well, assuming the arc reactor takes over and it actually works." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"I assume."</b>
</p><p>"Of course you do." Rhodey said.</p><p>
  <b>"Light her up." He says. Tony flies toward the tower as the lights come on. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"How does it look?" </b>
</p><p><b>"Like Christmas, but with more... me."</b> </p><p>Some sighs and laughs were heard.</p><p>"A tad narcissistic don't you think?" Natasha asked.</p><p>
  <b>"We've got to go wider on the public awareness campaign you need to do some press. I'm in DC tomorrow I'm working on the zoning for the next three buildings." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Pepper, you're killing me. The moment, remember? Enjoy the moment." </b>
  <b>Tony drops down on the landing pad. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Get in here and I will." Robotic arms remove the suit as Tony walks in the room. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Sir, Agent Coulson of SHIELD is on the line." JARVIS says. </b>
</p><p><b>"I'm not in. I'm actually out."</b> </p><p>Everyone, except the SHIELD agents, and Steve laughed. </p><p>
  <b>"Sir, I'm afraid he's insisting."</b>
</p><p>
  <b> "Grow a spine, Jarvis. I got a date." Pepper is looking at a holographic screen. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Levels are holding steady... I think." She says. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Of course they are, I was directly involved. Which brings me to my next question: how does it feel to be a genius?" </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Well, I really wouldn't know would I?"</b>
</p><p>"Of course you would." Tony said.</p><p>"Really?" Pepper asked, doubting him, not herself.</p><p>"Of course."</p><p>
  <b>"What do you mean? All this came from you." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"No. All this came from that." She says and points to the arc reactor in his chest. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Give yourself some credit, please. Stark Tower is your baby. Give yourself... twelve percent of the credit."</b>
</p><p>"Dude." Clint said.</p><p>"You're gonna pay for that later aren't you?" Sam asked.</p><p>"Yep."</p><p>
  <b>"12%" </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"An argument can be made for fifteen."</b>
</p><p>"That's not helping." Scott said.</p><p>
  <b>"Twelve percent? For my baby?" </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Well, I did do all the heavy lifting. Literally, I lifted the heavy things. And sorry, but the security snafu? That was on you." Pepper pours two glasses of Champagne. They sit on the couch. "My private elevator-"</b>
</p><p>
  <b> " You mean our elevator?" </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Was steaming with sweaty workmen. I'm going to pay for that comment about percentages in some subtle way later, aren't I?"</b>
</p><p>"Not subtle." Quill said.</p><p>
  <b>"It's not gonna be that subtle." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"I'll tell you what. Next building's gonna say 'Potts' on the tower."</b>
</p><p>"'Potts tower' doesn't really have the same ring to it. No offence." Happy said.</p><p>
  <b>"On the lease." Pepper corrects. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>" Call your mom, can you bunk over?"</b>
</p><p>"Is that a weird way of asking if she can spend the night?" Hope asked. </p><p>
  <b>"Sir, the telephone. I'm afraid my protocols are being overwritten." JARVIS says. Coulson is on the phone. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Stark, we need to talk." He says. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"You have reached the life model decoy of Tony Stark, please leave a message."</b>
</p><p>
  <b> "This is urgent." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Then leave it urgently." Coulson steps through the elevator. "Security breach! *He turns to Pepper* That's on you."</b>
</p><p>"Wow, you really don't like SHIELD summons do you?" Clint asked.</p><p>"Not when they interrupt private time, no." Tony said.</p><p>
  <b>"Mr. Stark." Coulson greets. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Phil! Come in." Pepper gets up to greet him, Tony follows. </b>
</p><p><b>"Phil? Uh, his first name is Agent."</b> </p><p>"Your jealousy is showing." Rhodey whispered.</p><p>
  <b>"Come on in, we're celebrating." She says. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Which is why he can't stay." Tony says through a fake smile. Coulson goes to hand Tony something. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"We need you to look this over. As soon as possible." </b>
</p><p><b>"I don't like being handed things."</b> </p><p>"You've said that a few times, are you ever going to explain that?" Coulson asked.</p><p>"No I don't think I will." Tony answered.</p><p><b>"That's alright, 'cause I love to be handed things. So, let's trade." She takes the thing from Coulson, gives him her drink, she takes Tony's drink and gives him the thing from Coulson.</b> </p><p>The subtlety of that switch was not lost on Natasha, Loki, Fury, Maria or Peggy. He took the thing from Pepper but not from Coulson, despite the fact that the thing had not been altered at all, why?</p><p>
  <b>"Official consulting hours are between eight and five every other Thursday." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"This isn't a consultation." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Is this about The Avengers? Which I...I know nothing about."</b>
</p><p>"You told her about that?" Fury asked.</p><p>"I didn't tell her, she found out." Tony corrected.</p><p>"How?"</p><p>"I told her."</p><p>
  <b>"The Avengers Initiative was scrapped, I thought. And I didn't even qualify." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"I didn't know that either." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Yeah, apparently I'm volatile, self-obsessed, don't play well with others." Tony opens the thing, which is a computer and sets it on a table. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"That I did know." </b>
</p><p>"We all knew that." Rhodey said.</p><p>
  <b>"This isn't about personality profiles anymore." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Whatever. Miss Potts, got a minute?" </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Half a mo." Pepper says to Coulson and walks over to Tony. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"You know, I thought we were having a moment." He says. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"I was having twelve percent of a moment."</b>
</p><p>"Ha ha." Quill said.</p><p>"There it is." Clint said.</p><p>
  <b>"This seems serious, Phil's pretty shaken." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"How would you know if its- Why is he Phil?" </b>
</p><p>"Because that's his name." Pepper said.</p><p>
  <b>"What is all of this?" </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"This is, uh- *He stretches his hands out and the information from the computer Coulson gave him expands to the screens around him. Profiles of Steve, Thor and Bruce appear.* this." He says. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"I'm going to take the jet to DC tonight." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Tomorrow." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"You've got homework. You've got a lot of homework." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Well, what if I didn't?" </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"If you didn't?" </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Yeah." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"You mean if you finished?" Tony nods.  </b>
</p><p><b>"Well um... then." She whispers something in his ear, Tony's mouth falls open in surprise, Coulson averts his gaze.</b> </p><p>Pepper and Tony cleared their throats awkwardly.</p><p>
  <b>"Square deal. Fly safe." They kiss. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Work hard." She says and walks over to Coulson. "So any chance you're driving by LaGuardia?" </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"I can drop you."</b>
</p><p>
  <b> "Fantastic. I want to hear about the cellist is that still a thing?" </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"She moved back to Portland." Tony picks the hologram of the tesseract. </b>
</p><p>'He listened to their entire conversation.' Steve realized. Remembering what he said after Coulson 'died' 'There was a cellist... I think.'</p><p>
  <b> Steve is in a plane with Coulson. </b>
  <b>"We're about 40 minutes out from home base, sir." A pilot said. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"So this Dr Banner was trying to replicate the serum used on me?" Steve asks.</b>
</p><p>"A lot of people were, no one has gotten it right, yet." Coulson said.</p><p><b>"A lot of people were."</b> </p><p>Coulson blinked, that was weird, he just mocked himself.</p><p>
  <b>"You were the world's first superhero. Banner thought gamma radiation might hold the key to unlocking Erskine's original formula." </b>
</p><p><b>"Didn't really go his way, did it?"</b> </p><p>"Not at all." Bruce groaned.</p><p><b>"Not so much. When he's not that thing though, guy's like a Stephen Hawking." Steve looked confused.</b> </p><p>"For future reference, I think he might understand Einstein a little better." Clint said.</p><p>
  <b>"He's like a smart person."</b>
</p><p>"Thank you..." Bruce said, confused.</p><p>
  <b>"I gotta say, it's an honor to meet you, officially." </b>
</p><p>Natasha started smirking.</p><p>
  <b>"I sort of met you, I mean, I watched you while you were sleeping." </b>
</p><p>Coulson cringed. "You could've phrased that to make it sound less creepy." Rocket said.</p><p>
  <b>" I mean, I was... I was present while you were unconscious from the ice. You know, it's really, it's just a... just a huge honor to have you on board." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Well, I hope I'm the man for the job." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Oh, you are. Absolutely. Uh... we've made some modifications to the uniform. I had a little design input." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"The uniform? Aren't the stars and stripes a little... old fashioned?" </b>
</p><p>
  <b>" With everything that's happening, the things that are about to come to light, people might just need a little old fashioned." </b>
</p><p>Steve smiled a bit.</p><p>
  <b>Selvig is working with the tesseract in a lab. Loki is sitting outside on the steps. The scepter starts glowing and the world around him forms into the sanctuary.</b>
</p><p>Loki was getting increasingly uncomfortable.</p><p>"The mind stone can do that?" Vision asked.</p><p>"It was the mind stone and a mix of astral projection." Loki said. </p><p>
  <b>"The Chitauri grow restless." The Other says. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Let them grid themselves, I will lead them in the glorious battle." Loki says. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Battle? Against the meager might of Earth?"</b>
</p><p>"Hey? We kicked their asses pretty well if you ask me." Tony said.</p><p>"Alien races usually do underestimate the humans, mainly because you haven't figured out space travel, they think you are primitive." Thor said.</p><p>
  <b>"Glorious. Not lengthy, if your force is as formidable as you claim."</b>
</p><p>"Haven't we already had the conversation about taunting your captors?" Clint asked, he didn't care much, but still.</p><p><b>"You question us? You question him? He who put the scepter in your hand who gave you ancient knowledge and new purpose when you were cast out, defeated?"</b> </p><p>"That's not exactly what happened..." Thor said, confused. 'Was this why Loki told him he remembered being thrown into the abyss?</p><p>
  <b>"I was a king! The rightful king of Asgard, betrayed." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Your ambition is little, born of childish need. We look beyond the Earth to greater worlds the Tesseract will unveil." </b>
</p><p><b>"You don't have the tesseract yet. The Other rushes toward toward him a 6 fingered hand raised to his face.</b> </p><p>"Does he have 6 fingers?" Tony asked.</p><p>"Yes, now pay attention." Natasha said.</p><p>
  <b>"I don't threaten. But until i open the doors, until you force is mine to command, you are but words." </b>
</p><p><b>"You will have your war Asgardian. If you fail, if the tesseract is kept from us *He starts walking around Loki* there will be no realm, no barren moon, co crevice where he cannot find you."</b> </p><p>Loki looked away from the screen, with a wince.</p><p>"So now, because you failed, you're being hunted?" Tony asked. </p><p>
  <b>"You think you know pain" Loki looks nervous now.</b>
</p><p>Loki squeezed his eyes shut</p><p>
  <b>"He will make you long for something sweet as pain!" The Other hits him on the side of the head. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>Loki's head gets knocked back with the impact. </b>
</p><p>Loki flinched in time with his on-screen self. </p><p><b>He opens his eyes, and stares determined, breathing heavily.</b> </p><p>"You were tortured." Bucky said, recognizing the symptoms. Loki nodded.</p><p>"Loki what did they do to you?" Thor asked, anger seeping into his voice.</p><p>"You remember when I said that I owed a debt. I disagreed at first, they tortured me for months before they finally got me to agree, played mind games, broke my limbs they found out I don't do well in heat pretty early on. I agreed because it was either go to Earth and retrieve the tesseract or succumb to their tortures. Eventually I agreed."</p><p>Fury thought back to what he said to Thor 'A lot of guys say that... until the pain starts.'</p><p>"Is this true?" Fury asked, not wanting to believe him.</p><p>"It is true. My father has done similar things to me and my siblings in the past." Nebula vouched.</p><p>"Your father?"</p><p>"Thanos."</p><p>"So he's who we really need to watch out for." </p><p>"So why the glow-stick of destiny?" Tony asked.</p><p>"They gave me the scepter, to make it easier to do what I was sent there to do. The stones react to the presence of their siblings."</p><p>"Do we finally have the full story or is there more that you're not telling us?" Natasha asked.</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Stuttgart</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>A plane lands on an the heli-carrier in the ocean. Coulson and Steve get out, Natasha walks up to them. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Agent Romanoff, Captain Rogers." Coulson introduces. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Ma'am." Steve greets. </b>
</p><p>"Please don't call me ma'am, it makes me feel old." Natasha said</p><p>
  <b>"Hi *She turns to Coulson* They need you on the bridge. They're starting the face-trace." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"See you there." Coulson says and leaves. </b>
</p><p><b>Natasha starts walking with Steve. "It was quite the buzz around here, finding you in the ice. I thought Coulson was gonna swoon. Did he ask you to sign his Captain America trading cards yet?"</b> </p><p>Coulson cringed. Natasha laughed.</p><p>
  <b>"Trading cards?" </b>
</p><p><b>"They're vintage, he's very proud."</b> </p><p>Coulson looked embarrassed, also disappointed, seeing as how the were ruined. 'Thanks a lot Fury.'</p><p>
  <b>Bruce is seen walking around, trying to stay out of the way. "Dr Banner." Steve calls.</b>
</p><p>
  <b> "Oh, yeah. Hi. They told me you'd be coming." Bruce says, and walks over to them. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Word is you can find the cube." </b>
</p><p><b>"Is that the only word on me?"</b> </p><p>"Evidently not." Valkyrie said.</p><p>
  <b>"Its the only word I care about." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"It must be strange for you, all of this." He gestures around them. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>Steve sees a group of agents running in formation. "Well, this is actually kind of familiar." </b>
</p><p><b>"Gentlemen, you might want to step inside in a minute. It's gonna get a little hard to breathe." Natasha says.</b> </p><p>"Is that a submarine?" Quill asked. </p><p>
  <b>"Is this a submarine?" Steve asks. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Really? They wanted me in a submerged, pressurized metal container?" Bruce asks, rhetorically. He and Steve walk over to the edge, and notice that it is not, in fact, a submarine. "No no. This is much worse." </b>
</p><p>A few people laugh quietly. "Really? I'd consider them to be equal." Sam said.</p><p>
  <b>The heli-carrier lifts out of the ocean. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>Steve, Natasha and Bruce are all inside. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"All engines operating SHIELD emergency protocol 193.6 in effect we're at level, sir." Maria says. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Good let's vanish." Fury said. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Engage retro-reflection panels." Hill says. The heli-carrier starts to become invisible. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>Fury turns to Bruce and Steve. </b>
  <b>"Gentlemen." Steve hands Fury $10.</b>
</p><p>"Out of everything you must have seen that day, it's modern technology that surprises you?" Howard asked.</p><p>"It has come a long way since he's last seen it." Peggy said. </p><p>
  <b>Fury walks over to Bruce and holds out his hand. "Doctor, thank you for coming." He says. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Thanks for asking nicely. So, uh... how long am I staying?" </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Once we get our hands on the Tesseract, you're in the clear." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Where are you with that?" He asks.</b>
</p><p>
  <b> "We're sweeping every wirelessly accessible camera on the planet. Cellphones, laptops. If it's connected to a satellite, it's eyes and ears for us." Coulson answers.</b>
</p><p>
  <b> "That's still not gonna find them in time." Natasha says. </b>
</p><p>"Worried were we?" Clint asked.</p><p>"You were taken by a hostile force and I didn't know if you were even alive. Worry is justified in that situation." Natasha retorted.</p><p>
  <b>"You have to narrow your field. How many spectrometers do you have access to?" Bruce asks. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"How many are there?" </b>
</p><p><b>"Call every lab you know, tell them to put the spectrometers on the roof and calibrate them for gamma rays. I'll rough out a tracking algorithm based on cluster recognition. At least we could rule out a few places. Do you have somewhere for me to work?"</b> </p><p>"Smart." Gamora said.</p><p>
  <b>"Agent Romanoff, would you show Dr. Banner to his laboratory, please." </b>
</p><p><b>Bruce and Natasha walk away.</b> <b>"You're gonna love it, Doc. We got all the toys."</b></p><p>"It was nice, I'll give you that." Bruce said.</p><p>
  <b>Dr Selvig is working with the tesseract, bossing scientists around. "Put it over there! *He turns to Clint* Where did you find all these people?" He asks. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"SHIELD has not shortage of enemies, Doctor. *He holds up a screen with information on iridium. *Is this the stuff you need?" </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Yeah, iridium. It's found in meteorites, it forms anti-protons. It's very hard to get hold of." </b>
</p><p><b>"Especially if SHIELD knows you need it."</b> </p><p>"He's not wrong." Coulson said.</p><p>
  <b>"Well, I didn't know! *Notices Loki* Hey! The Tesseract is showing me so much. It's more than just knowledge, it's... truth." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"I know. What did it show you, Agent Barton?" </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"My next target." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Tell me what you need." </b>
</p><p>"What did it show you, Loki?" Thor asked.</p><p>"I don't remember much. People were prospering, they seemed happy. Overpopulation wasn't a pressing issue. They were free." He said.</p><p>Gamora and Nebula gave each other knowing looks. He saw what Thanos thinks he can accomplish.</p><p>
  <b>"Tell me what you need."</b>
</p><p>
  <b>"I'll need a distraction. *He grabs his bow* and an eyeball." Clint says.</b>
</p><p>"Please tell me you're not going to-" Valkyrie starts. Loki's cringe is answer enough. "Gross."</p><p>"Wait so its, the tesseract that's controlling you?" Steve asked, he thought this was entirely the mind stones work.</p><p>"The tesseract is influencing me, and through me, the others." Loki said.</p><p>
  <b>"I mean, if it's not too much trouble." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"No, no. It's fine." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"It's a vintage set. It took me a couple of years to collect them all. Near mint, slight foxing around the edges, but-" Coulson gets cut off.</b>
</p><p>"I'm sorry I never signed them." Steve said. </p><p>
  <b>"We got a hit. Sixty-seven percent match. Weight, cross match, seventy-nine percent." Sitwell says. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Location?" Coulson asks. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Stuttgart, Germany. 28, Konigstrasse. He's not exactly hiding." </b>
</p><p><b>"Captain, you're up." Fury says. Steve nods and leaves.</b> </p><p>"Why are you in plain sight, seems stupid if you ask me?" Scott asked. </p><p>
  <b>People are talking inside of a museum. A man taps on the microphone. Agents cover the perimeter. Clint walks up to a back door, two agents greet him. Loki walks through the museum. He flips the scepter, which is disguised and knocks someone on the head with it. He takes the man and throws him on a statue. He takes a small metal device, connected to Clint's and removes an eye. </b>
</p><p>Everyone cringed, even Loki, who knew what was coming. "That's messed up." Quill said. </p><p><b>The guests start running. The eyeball starts materializing as a hologram through Clint's device, he gains access. Loki starts walking and uses magic to transform the scepter back and change into his Armor.</b> </p><p>Off- screen Loki looked away, awkwardly.</p><p>"Admittedly I would also be scared if some random man walked up, took a mans eyeball and started using magic. Sounds like something out of my nightmares." Quill said. </p><p><b>He shoots a beam at a nearby police car. He creates three illusions of himself, stopping the crowd. "Kneel before me."</b> </p><p>"No I don't think so." Fury said, angry.</p><p>
  <b>He bangs the scepter on the ground. "I said Kneel!" </b>
</p><p>"Kinky." Valkyrie said. </p><p><b>Everyone slowly starts kneeling.</b> </p><p>"Honesty, if you ask me your plan was stupid." Tony said.</p><p>"I know that." Loki said.</p><p>"Do you now?" Tony asked.</p><p>"I do." Loki answered.</p><p><b>"Is not this simpler? Is this not your natural state? It's the unspoken truth of humanity, that you crave subjugation. The bright lure of freedom diminishes your life's joy in a mad scramble for power, for identity. You were made to be ruled. In the end, you will always kneel."</b> </p><p>"Again I say, I don't think so." Fury said.</p><p>
  <b>An elderly man stands up. "Not to men like you." He says</b>
</p><p>"A brave man." T'Challa said.</p><p>
  <b>"There are no men like me." </b>
</p><p><b>"There are always men like you."</b> </p><p>"Well yes, but also no." Peter said.</p><p>
  <b>"Look to your elder people. Let him be an example." Just as Loki's about to shoot him, Steve jumps down and blocks the shot with his shield. "</b>
</p><p>
  <b>You know, the last time I was in Germany and saw a man standing above everybody else, we ended up disagreeing." </b>
</p><p>"That's one way to make an entrance." Scott said.</p><p>
  <b>"The soldier. A man out of time." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"I'm not the one who's out of time." Above, Natasha has a planes guns pointed at Loki. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Loki, drop the weapon and stand down." Loki fires at the plane. Steve goes to punch Loki, he dodges. Loki knocks him off with the scepter. Steve throws his shield, Loki hits it away. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>Loki puts the end of the scepter to Steve's head. "Kneel." He says. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Not today." Steve says then kicks him in the face.</b>
</p><p>A few people laughed at the comeback.</p><p>
  <b>"This guy's all over the place." Natasha says. Loki throws Steve off of him. 'Shoot to thrill' starts playing through the planes speakers. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Agent Romanoff, you miss me." Tony asks. Natasha smirks.</b>
</p><p>"That's another way to make an entrance." Scott said. </p><p>
  <b>Loki and Steve both get distracted by the music. Tony fires a repulsor at Loki then lands, all of his suits weapons pointed at him. "Make your move, Reindeer Games." Loki puts his hands up and uses magic to take his armor off. "Good move."</b>
</p><p>"It almost looks like you wanted to get caught." Rocket said. Loki stayed silent. "Oh my God, you wanted to get caught."</p><p>"Stuttgart was a distraction, while Barton went to get the iridium." Loki said.</p><p>
  <b>"Mr Stark." Steve greets. </b>
</p><p><b>"Captain."</b> </p><p>"Talk about awkward first meetings." Sam said.</p><p>"Yeah, I don't really think any of us made the best first impressions on each other." Steve said.</p><p>
  <b>They are all in the plane. "Is he saying anything?" Fury asks over the radio. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Not a word." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Just get him here we're low on time."</b>
</p><p>
  <b> "I don't like it." Steve says. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"What? Rock of Ages giving up so easily?" Tony asks. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"I don't remember it being ever that easy. This guy packs a wallop." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Still, you are pretty spry, for an older fellow. What's your thing? Pilates?" </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"What?" </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"It's like calisthenics. You might have missed a couple things, you know, busy doing time as a Capsicle."</b>
</p><p>A few people held back laughs. "Do you nickname everyone?" Gamora asked.</p><p>"Pretty much." Tony said.</p><p>
  <b>Steve finally looks at him. "Fury didn't tell me he was calling you in." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Yeah, there's a lot of things Fury doesn't tell you." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>Thunder crashes outside, Loki looks up, uneasy. </b>
  <b>"Where's this coming from?" Natasha asks. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"What's the matter? Scared of a little lightning?" Steve asks.</b>
</p><p>"You?" Valkyrie guessed. Thor nodded.</p><p>
  <b>"I'm not overly fond of what follows." Steve and Tony look at each other, confused.</b>
</p><p>Thor made a face.</p><p>
  <b>Thor lands on top of the plane. Tony grabs his helmet and puts it on, ready to attack. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>Tony opens the back on the plane. "What are you doing?" Steve asks. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>Thor lands. Loki looks scared. Tony gets ready to fire a repulsor at him, Thor hits him back before he has a chance, he grabs Loki by the neck and leaves. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"And now there's that guy." Tony says as he stands back up. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Another Asgardian?" Natasha asks. </b>
</p><p><b>"Think the guy's a friendly?"</b> </p><p>"I am not hostile." Thor said, mildly offended.</p><p>
  <b>"Doesn't matter. If he frees Loki or kills him, the Tesseract's lost." Tony says. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Stark, we need a plan of attack!" </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"I have a plan. Attack." Tony jumps out.</b>
</p><p>"Not a great plan." Loki says, mimicking Tony's words from the tower. Tony scowled at him.</p><p>
  <b>"I'd sit this one out, Cap." Natasha warns. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"I don't see how I can." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"These guys come from legends, they're basically gods." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"There's only one God, ma'am. And I'm pretty sure he doesn't dress like that." Steve says and jumps.</b>
</p><p>"You should open your mind to new possibilities, man." Sam says. </p><p>
  <b>Thor throws Loki to the ground. "Where is the tesseract." Thor demands. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Oh I missed you too."</b>
</p><p>A few people reluctantly laughed.</p><p>
  <b>"Do I look to be in a gaming mood?" Loki looks up at him and starts to stand. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Oh, you should thank me. With the Bifrost gone how much dark energy did the Allfather have to muster to conjure you here? Your precious Earth." Loki asks. </b>
</p><p><b>Thor drops Mjolnir, and drags Loki to his feet. "I thought you dead."</b> </p><p>"I was dead for... actually I don't know how long." Loki said.</p><p>
  <b>"Did you mourn?" </b>
</p><p>Suddenly everyone felt as if they were intruding on a private conversation.</p><p>
  <b>"We all did."</b>
</p><p>"Forgive me if I have trouble believing that. You remember what happened, I would think that the majority of them were glad to be rid of me." Loki said.</p><p>
  <b>"Our father-" </b>
</p><p>
  <b>Loki holds out a finger </b>
  <b>"Your father *Thor lets Loki go, and Loki walks away* He did tell you my true parentage, did he not?" </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"We were raised together, we played together, we fought together do you remember none of that?" </b>
</p><p><b>"I remember a shadow! Living in the shade of your greatness!" Loki says.</b> </p><p>"Is that really all you remember?" Thor asked, sadly.</p><p>"For a while it was, then you told one of the snake stories-."</p><p>"What snake story?" Tony interrupted.</p><p>"I'm sure you'll hear about it later." Loki said.</p><p><b>"I remember you tossing me into an abyss."</b> </p><p>"You let go. You let go." Thor said, voice cracking.</p><p>"I know that now, a lot of my memories have been... altered in order to fuel my rage against you and father." </p><p>"I guess that's what he meant by mind games." Coulson told Fury, over-hearing the conversation between the brothers.</p><p><b>"I was and should be king!" He finishes.</b> </p><p>"No, maybe that's a bad idea." Quill said.</p><p>"It was, I never even wanted it, but I felt like I had something to prove." Loki sighed.  </p><p>People were really starting to see the change in Loki now, if they hadn't before. I mean sure, he went into a jealous rage, made a deal with someone he probably shouldn't have, but all the same he was this guy who didn't want to be pushed around anymore and would go to extreme lengths to prove it, even if it wasn't entirely him. Point being: Loki from 2012 and the Loki that they're talking to now are 2 different people. His actions are still unforgivable though.</p><p>
  <b>"So you take the world I love as recompense for your imagined slights."</b>
</p><p>"'Imagined slights.' Tell me Thor, was it imagined when you constantly told me to 'Know my place' as if I was and always would be beneath you? Was it imagined when Odin ignored all of my accomplishments in favor of yours? Was it imagined when I was hanging on for my life and Odin's last words to me were a denial?" Loki said, angrily.</p><p>Thor didn't know what to think. Was this really how Loki felt?</p><p>
  <b>"No, the Earth is under my protection, Loki." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"And you're doing a marvelous job with that. The humans slaughter each other in droves, while you idly fret. I mean to rule them. And why should I not?" </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"You think yourself above them."</b>
</p><p>
  <b> "Well... yes." </b>
</p><p><b>"Then you miss the truth of ruling, brother. Throne would suit you ill."</b> </p><p>"Indeed it would, too much work." Loki said.</p><p>Thor looked confused, his Loki only had the throne for a few days, did future Loki take it again?</p><p>
  <b>Angry, Loki shoves Thor aside and walks back up the hill. "I've seen worlds you've never known about! I have grown, Odinson, in my exile! I have seen the true power of the Tesseract, and when I wield it-"</b>
</p><p>
  <b> "Who showed you this power? Who controls the would-be king?"</b>
</p><p>"You knew that he was being controlled." Coulson asked.</p><p>"I suspected it, I know my brother and that was not him." Thor said, referring to the attack. </p><p>
  <b>"I am a king." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Not here!" </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"You give up the Tesseract! You give up this poisonous dream! You come home." </b>
</p><p><b>"I don't have it. You need the cube to bring me home, but I've sent it off I know not where."</b> </p><p>"But I was lying, I did know where." Peter said in an English accent.</p><p>Loki glanced at him. 'What a strange child.' He thought.</p><p>
  <b>Thor points Mjolnir to Loki's chest. "Listen well, brother-" </b>
</p><p>
  <b>Tony tackles him, and they fly away. </b>
</p><p><b>"I'm listening."</b> </p><p>"Impeccable timing." Quill said.</p><p>"I try." Tony laughed.</p><p>
  <b>Tony and Thor land. "Do not touch me again." Thor threatens. </b>
</p><p><b>"Then don't take my stuff."</b> </p><p>"So apparently I'm stuff now." Loki said.</p><p>"Fine by me, Stuff." Valkyrie said and turned to put her legs on his lap. He shoved them off. "You're no fun anymore." </p><p>
  <b>"You have no idea what you are dealing with." </b>
</p><p>"Oh look another person who understands." Clint said.</p><p>
  <b>"Shakespeare in the park? Doth mother know you weareth her drapes?"</b>
</p><p>Loki started laughing.</p><p>Thor blushed in embarrassment.</p><p>"There's a story behind this isn't there?" Tony asked, eager to hear it.</p><p>Loki opened his mouth to speak Thor interrupted him.</p><p>"Please don't." Thor said. </p><p>"Weren't you the one who just asked me if I remember our childhood as you do? I'm telling it *Thor looked ready to protest again but soon relented* Mjolnir was missing, Thor started to look for it but couldn't find it. We had assumed that the frost giants had taken it so I shape shifted into a falcon to search there, they had taken it and it was buried below the surface. So the solution to get the hammer back was to dress Thor up a Freya and he would go and pretend to marry Thrym." Loki said.</p><p>Everyone started giggling, wishing that they could've seen that.</p><p>Thor was mad at first, he thought it was wrong for a man to dress as a woman. I went with him as a lady in waiting, after dinner Thrym called Mjolnir to him and it was placed in Thor's lap. He killed Thrym and the guests and we left. The end. </p><p>"I hope you don't still think that feminine men are any less of a man than you are." Valkyrie said.</p><p>"Lets move on okay." Fury said, getting impatient.</p><p>
  <b>"This is beyond you, metal man. Loki will face Asgardian justice!" </b>
</p><p>"Metal man." Rocket snickered. "He called you metal man."</p><p>"Hey, its more accurate than Iron man is." Tony said. "Doesn't have the same ring to it, though."</p><p>
  <b>"He gives up the Cube, he's all yours. Until then, stay out of my way... tourist."</b>
</p><p>"Tourist?" Thor frowned as he repeated the word.</p><p>"Someone from another place who visits for fun." Steve explained.</p><p><b>Thor throws his hammer, knocking Tony into a tree. "Okay." Loki watches them fight, Thor glances up at him. Tony fires his chest repulsor at Thor, before he can get away.</b> </p><p>"I see what you mean about first impressions now." Sam said.</p><p>
  <b>Thor summons lightening and directs it to Tony's chest. "Power at 400% capacity."</b>
</p><p>"Oh damn." Scott said. </p><p>
  <b>"How bout that?" Tony fires repulsors at Thor. They fly toward each other and start fighting in the air. They land and Thor punches Tony, then grabs both of his fists squeezing as the metal bends. Tony fires at his face. Thor head butts him. Tony throws Thor into a tree. Thor picks up Tony and throws him on the ground then summons Mjolnir. He goes to hit him with it but Tony gets away. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Hey! *Steve throws his shield and it hits both of them. That's enough."</b>
</p><p>"A voice of reason." Pepper said.</p><p>
  <b>"Now, I don't know what you plan on doing here." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"I've come here to put an end to Loki's schemes!" </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Then prove it! Put the hammer down."</b>
</p><p>"That was the wrong thing to say." Loki said.</p><p>
  <b>"Um, yeah, no! Bad call! He loves his hammer!" </b>
</p><p>
  <b>Thor hits Tony away with Mjolnir. "You want me to put the hammer down?!" Thor yells, then Jumps and brings Mjolnir down on Steve's shield, sending off a massive shock-wave. </b>
</p><p><b>Tony stands up, Steve and Thor follow suit. "Are we done here?"</b> </p><p>"I should hope so." Peggy said.</p><p><b>Loki is being escorted by a large group of soldiers.</b> <b>He glances at Bruce through the window. </b></p><p>
  <b>Loki is now inside of a glass cage. "In case it's unclear. You try to escape. You so much as scratch that glass. *He presses a few buttons, the floor beneath the cage opens, you can hear the wind beneath. Loki walks to the edge and looks down* Thirty thousand feet, straight down in a steel trap. You get how that works?!* He closes the floor back up* Ant. Boot."</b>
</p><p>The avengers laughed at the call back. "In hindsight, you probably shouldn't have shown him how that works." Coulson said.</p><p>"Probably not, but it was easier to explain it with a reference, than without one." Fury said.</p><p>
  <b>"It's an impressive cage. Not built, I think, for me." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Built for something a lot stronger than you." </b>
</p><p><b>"Oh, I've heard. *Loki looks into the camera, the others all watched the footage* The mindless beast, makes play he's still a man. How desperate are you, that you call upon such lost creatures to defend you?"</b> </p><p>"He still beat your ass, when he needed to." Fury said. Loki cringed at the memory.</p><p>"I'm well aware of what he did." Loki said.</p><p><b>"How desperate am I? You threaten my world with war. You steal a force you can't hope to control. You talk about peace and you kill 'cause it's fun. You have made me very desperate. You might not be glad that you did."</b> </p><p>"A lot of contradictory actions, dude." Quill said.</p><p>
  <b>"Ooh. It burns you to come so close. To have the Tesseract, to have power, unlimited power. And for what? A warm light for all mankind to share, and then to be reminded what real power is." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Well, you let me know if Real Power wants a magazine or something." Fury leaves. </b>
</p><p>"Am I the only one noticing that his eyes are getting brighter as this goes on?" Bruce asked.</p><p>"Maybe its just the light." Natasha said.</p><p>
  <b>"He really grows on you, doesn't he?" Bruce asks</b>
</p><p>"Well, I'm glad you think that." Loki said.</p><p>Bruce looked confused. "Is that supposed to mean something?"</p><p>"Not now...later." Loki said.</p><p>
  <b>"Loki's gonna drag this out. So, Thor, what's his play?" Steve asks. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"He has an army called the Chitauri. They're not of Asgard or any world known. He means to lead them against your people. They will win him the earth. In return, I suspect, for the Tesseract."</b>
</p><p>"I'm surprised you managed to gather that much, you're not as dumb as you make yourself out to be." Loki said.</p><p>"I suspect that's as close to a compliment, I'll receive from you, isn't it?"</p><p>"You know me so well."</p><p>
  <b>"An army? From outer space?" Steve asks incredulously. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"So he's building another portal. That's what he needs Erik Selvig for." Bruce says. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Selvig?" </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"He's an astrophysicist." Bruce explains, mistaking Thor's concern for confusion. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"He's a friend." Thor corrects. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Loki has him under some kind of spell, along with one of ours."</b>
</p><p>
  <b> "I wanna know why Loki let us take him. He's not leading an army from here." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"I don't think we should be focusing on Loki."</b>
</p><p>"He is correct, you should be focusing on the 'why' instead of the who'." Nebula said.</p><p>"Well, he wouldn't give us the 'why' so we focused on everything else." Fury said.</p><p>"Honestly, I doubt he would have admitted to anything, had we not all been brought here." Coulson said.</p><p>
  <b>"That guy's brain is a bag full of cats, you could smell crazy on him." Bruce finishes. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Have care how you speak. Loki is beyond reason, but he is of Asgard, and he's my brother." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"He killed eighty people in two days." </b>
</p><p><b>"He's adopted."</b> </p><p>"That doesn't justify or change anything." Gamora said.</p><p>Thor, who expected him to be angry with him, looked over to his brother wearily. "At least they chose to take me, they got stuck with you." </p><p>"Oh. Burn. I like this one." Shuri said. T'Challa looked wary.</p><p>"You cannot adopt every broken ex- murderer you meet." He says.</p><p>"Please." Shuri asked. T'Challa rolled his eyes, exasperated.</p><p>"Fine." He conceded. </p><p>Loki stared at here. 'Another strange child.' He thought. </p><p>
  <b>"I think it's about the mechanics. Iridium, what did they need the Iridium for?" Bruce asks. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Its a stabilizing agent. *Tony says as he walks in with Coulson* I'll fly you there. Keep the love alive."</b>
</p><p>Steve frowned. So he did care, why did he make it sound like he didn't?</p><p>
  <b> He addresses the room. "Means the portal won't collapse on itself, like it did at SHIELD. *He walks up to Thor* No hard feelings, Point Break. You've got a mean swing." He says as he pats Thor's bicep.</b>
</p><p>Thor grumbled at the nickname. </p><p><b>He walks over to the screens. "Also, it means the portal can open as wide, and stay open as long, as Loki wants. *He presses a few buttons, then addresses the agents* Uh, raise the mid-mast, ship the top sails. That man is playing Galaga! Thought we wouldn't notice, but we did."</b> </p><p>A few people laughed. "But was he really?" Scott asked.</p><p>"Actually, yes." Tony said.</p><p>"You're trying to distract them." Peggy noticed. </p><p>
  <b>Tony covers one of his eyes. "How does Fury even see these?" </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"He turns." Maria said. </b>
</p><p><b>"Sounds exhausting. The rest of the raw materials agent Barton can get his hands on pretty easily. The only major component he still needs is a power source of high energy density *He places a hacking chip on the underside of the screen* something to *he snaps his fingers* kick-start the cube.</b> </p><p>"I'm surprised I got that past you." Tony says to Natasha.</p><p>"I had a feeling you would try, didn't think you would succeed." She says.</p><p>
  <b>"When did you become an expert in thermo-nuclear astrophysics?" Maria asked. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Last night."</b>
</p><p>"Wait, really?" Ned asked.</p><p>
  <b>"The packet, Selvig's notes, the Extraction Theory papers. Am I the only one who did the reading?" </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Does Loki need any particular kind of power source?" Steve asks. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"He's got to heat the cube to a hundred and twenty million Kelvin just to break through the Coulomb barrier." Bruce says. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Unless, Selvig has figured out how to stabilize the quantum tunneling effect." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Well, if he could do that he could achieve Heavy Ion Fusion at any reactor on the planet." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Finally, someone who speaks English."</b>
</p><p>"You mean to say 'Finally someone who speaks my freaky version of English." Rhodey corrected.</p><p>
  <b>"Was that what just happened?" Steve asks.</b>
</p><p>"'Fraid so, cap." Tony said.</p><p>
  <b>Tony goes to shake Bruce's hand. "It's good to meet you, Dr. Banner. You're work on anti-electron collisions is unparalleled. And I'm a huge fan of the way you lose control and turn into an enormous green rage monster." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Thanks."</b>
</p><p>"Tony. You can't just say that." Pepper scolded.</p><p>"Actually its fine, he was one of the few who didn't actively avoid talking about the other gut, could have been a little more cautious, though." Bruce interjected.</p><p>"I'm not really one for caution." Tony said.</p><p>"Really? We couldn't tell." Clint said. </p><p>
  <b>"Dr. Banner is only here to track the cube. I was hoping you might join him." Fury says. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Let's start with that stick of his. It may be magical, but it works an awful lot like a HYDRA weapon."</b>
</p><p>"And that is because the stones all have similar energy signatures." Strange said.</p><p><b>"I don't know about that, but it is powered by the cube. And I'd like to know how Loki used it to turn two of the sharpest men I know into his personal flying monkeys." "Monkeys? I do not understand." Thor says.</b> </p><p>"Its a reference from a movie called The Wizzard of Oz." Coulson explained.</p><p><b>"I do! I understood that reference." Behind him, Tony rolls his eyes. Steve looks proud of himself.</b> </p><p>"You look so proud." Peggy said. </p><p>
  <b>"Shall we play, doctor?" Tony asks. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"This way, sir." They leave. The agent goes back to playing Galaga.</b>
</p><p>"Incompetent." Fury said under his breath, in reference to the agent slacking off. "He has a job to do."</p><p>
  <b>Bruce and Tony are now in a lab, examining the scepter. "The gamma readings are definitely consistent with Selvig's reports on the Tesseract. But it's gonna take weeks to process." Bruce says. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>Tony, no longer in a suit, is on his computer. "If we bypass their mainframe and direct a reroute to the Homer cluster, we can clock this around six hundred teraflops." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"All I packed was a toothbrush."</b>
</p><p>Everyone laughed laughed. </p><p>
  <b>"You know, you should come by Stark Tower sometime. Top ten floors, all R&amp;D. You'd love it, it's candy land." </b>
</p><p><b>"Thanks, but the last time I was in New York I kind of broke...Harlem." Bruce states awkwardly.</b> </p><p>"We saw." </p><p>
  <b>"Well, I promise a stress free environment. No tension. No surprises." Tony says then poked Bruce with an electric prod. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Ow!" </b>
</p><p>
  <b>Steve walks in, angry. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>Tony look Bruce close in the eyes. "Nothing?" he asks. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Are you nuts?" </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Jury's out. You really have got a lid on it, haven't you? What's your secret? Mellow jazz? Bongo drums? Huge bag of weed?"</b>
</p><p>"No, no and no." Bruce answered.</p><p>
  <b>"Is everything a joke to you?"</b>
</p><p>"It's a coping mechanism."</p><p>
  <b>"Funny things are."</b>
</p><p>Loki, Peter, Shuri, Ned and Scott laughed. </p><p>
  <b>"Threatening the safety of everyone on this ship isn't funny. No offense, doctor." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"No, it's alright. I wouldn't have come aboard if I couldn't handle pointy things." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"You're tiptoeing, big man. You need to strut." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"And you need to focus on the problem, Mr. Stark." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"You think I'm not? *He grabs a bag of blueberries* Why did Fury call us and why now? Why not before? What isn't he telling us? I can't do the equation unless I have all the variables." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"You think Fury's hiding something?"</b>
</p><p>"I know Fury's hiding something, spies always are and as far as they go, Fury is the definition." Tony said.</p><p>
  <b>"He's a spy. Captain, he's the spy. His secrets have secrets." He eats a blueberry.</b>
</p><p>"That they do." Fury said. </p><p>
  <b>He turns to Bruce. "It's bugging him too, isn't it?'</b>
</p><p>"I wish you kept me out of your little squabble." Bruce sighed.</p><p>
  <b>"Uh...I just wanna finish my work here and..." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Doctor?" Steve asked. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>" 'A warm light for all mankind, Loki's jab at Fury about the cube." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"I heard it." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>Bruce turns to Tony. "Well, I think that was meant for you. *Tony holds he blueberries out, Bruce takes one* Even if Barton didn't tell Loki about the tower it was still all over the news." </b>
</p><p><b>"The Stark Tower that big, ugly *Tony gives him a challenging look* Building in New York." Steve finishes.</b> </p><p>"That should have been our first clue as to where he was going." Bruce said.</p><p>
  <b>"Its powered by an arc reactor, a self-sustaining energy source. That building will run itself for what, a year?" </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"That's just the prototype. I'm kind of the only name in clean energy right now." </b>
</p><p><b>"So, why didn't SHIELD bring him in on the Tesseract project? I mean, what are they doing in the energy business in the first place?"</b> </p><p>"Well at least now we know the answer. They needed to keep this as secret as possible." Tony said.</p><p>"Well, that didn't work out." Clint said.</p><p>
  <b>"I should probably look into that once my decryption programmer finishes breaking into all of SHIELD's secure files." Steve looks taken aback. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"I'm sorry, did you say...?"</b>
</p><p>
  <b> "Jarvis has been running it since I hit the bridge. In a few hours we'll know every dirty secret SHIELD has ever tried to hide."</b>
</p><p>"I'm sure that went over well." Hank said. </p><p>
  <b>He holds the blueberries out to Steve. "Blueberry?" He asks.</b>
</p><p><b> "Yet you're confused about why they didn't want you around?"</b> </p><p>"There's mutual trust issues." Coulson said.</p><p>
  <b>"An intelligence organization that fears intelligence? Historically, not awesome."</b>
</p><p>
  <b> "I think Loki's trying to wind us up. This is a man who means to start a war, and if don't stay focused, he'll succeed. We have orders, we should follow them." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Following is not really my style." Steve smirks. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"And you're all about style, aren't you?" </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Of the people in this room, which one is; A. wearing a spangly outfit, and B. not of use?" </b>
</p><p><b>"Steve, tell me none of this smells a little funky to you?" Bruce says. Steve says nothing.</b> </p><p>"You just don't want him to be right." Bucky observed.</p><p>
  <b>"Just find the cube." Steve says angrily and leaves. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"That's the guy my dad never shut up about?"</b>
</p><p>Steve looked shocked to hear that, he glanced back at Tony briefly and then back at the screen. </p><p><b>"Wondering if they shouldn't have kept him on ice."</b> </p><p>Steve now looked disgruntled. That man has a knack for hitting nerves.</p><p>
  <b>"The guy's not wrong about Loki. He does have the jump on us." Bruce says, walking over to another screen.</b>
</p><p>
  <b> "What he's got is an ACME dynamite kit. It's gonna blow up in his face, and I'm gonna be there when it does." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"And I'll read all about it." Tony walks over to him. </b>
</p><p><b>"Or you'll be suiting up like the rest of us."</b> </p><p>"Is that really the best idea?" Quill asked. </p><p>
  <b>"Ah, see. I don't get a suit of armor. I'm exposed, like a nerve. It's a nightmare." </b>
</p><p><b>"You know, I've got a cluster of shrapnel, trying every second to crawl its way into my heart. *He touches his chest* This stops it. This little circle of light. It's part of me now, not just armor. It's a... terrible privilege."</b> </p><p>"That's why you have it in your chest?" Howard asked.</p><p>"How did that happen?" Peggy asked.</p><p>"Sounds painful." Carol commented.</p><p>"A bomb blew up too close to me." Tony said.</p><p>
  <strong>"But you can control it." </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>"Because I learned how." </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>"Its different." Bruce says wanting to drop the subject. </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>"Hey, I read all about your accident, that much gamma exposure should have killed you." </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>"So you're saying that the Hulk... the other guy saved my life. That's nice, that's a nice sentiment, saved it for what?" </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>"I guess we'll find out." </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>"You may not enjoy that." </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>"You just might."</strong>
</p><p>"So you can be comforting." Happy said.</p><p>"When I want to be." Tony replied.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Attack on the helicarrier</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><b>Steve opens an airtight sealed door. He walks into the room and sees that its filled with metal crates</b>. <b>He jumps up onto the catwalk.</b></p><p>"It was bothering you too, wasn't it?" Peggy asked. Steve nodded. When the smartest guys in the room are so sure about something, you start to think that it must be true.</p><p><b>A black semi-truck is driving down the street. Inside, Selvig takes takes the iridium and places it in the machine.</b> </p><p>"Doing that in a moving vehicle probably isn't the smartest thing." Shuri said under her breath.</p><p>
  <b>Thor and Coulson are looking at a computer screen which shows a picture of Jane. "As soon as Loki took the doctor we moved Jane Foster. They've got an excellent observatory in Tromso. She was asked to consult very suddenly yesterday. Handsome fee, private plane, very remote. She'll be safe." Coulson says. </b>
</p><p><b>"Thank you. Its no accident, Loki taking Erik Selvig. I dread what he plans for him as soon as he is done." Thor says</b>.</p><p>"As you should." Natasha practically growled, remembering what Loki said would happen to Clint. </p><p>
  <b>"Erik is a good man." </b>
</p><p><b>"He talks about you a lot. *They start walking* You changed his life. You changed everything around here."</b> </p><p>"Its true." Clint said. "Before you came here we hadn't had contact with alien planets, pretty much refused to believe they existed."  </p><p>
  <b>"They were better as they were. We pretend on Asgard that we're more advanced."</b>
</p><p>"Which, in some ways, we are but in others we are probably one of the more primitive races, in terms of how we view other races, genders and people in general." Thor added.</p><p>Loki glanced at him, Thor really had grown as a person, why couldn't he see that 6 years ago was beyond him. </p><p>
  <b>"But we come here battling like bilge snipe." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Like what?" </b>
</p><p><b>"Bilge snipe. You know huge, scaly, big antlers. You don't have those?"</b> </p><p>"No, and frankly that sounds disgusting." Tony said.</p><p>"They are hideous." Valkyrie said.</p><p>
  <b>"I don't think so."</b>
</p><p><b> "They are repulsive, and they trample everything in their path."</b> </p><p>"I think the closest comparison would be like an elephant or a rhino." Bruce said. The aliens looked confused, what were those animals?</p><p>
  <b>"When I first came to Earth, Loki's rage followed me here and your people paid the price. And now, again. In my youth, I courted war."</b>
</p><p>"I think it went a little beyond your youth." Loki said.</p><p>"Shut up Loki." </p><p>
  <b>Fury enters. "The war hasn't started yet. You think you could make Loki tell us where the tesseract is?"</b>
</p><p>"Well at this point I don't know where it is, but I know where its going." Loki said.</p><p>"Shut up Loki." The avengers said.</p><p>
  <b>"I do not know. Loki's mind is far afield. Its not just power he craves, its vengeance, upon me. There's no pain that would prise his need from him." </b>
</p><p><b>"A lot of guys think that until the pain starts."</b> </p><p>Loki flinched, hearing those words brought back unpleasant memories.</p><p>
  <b>"What are you asking me to do?" </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"I'm asking 'what are you prepared to do?'"</b>
</p><p>"Did you just ask if he would willingly torture his own brother?" Gamora asked, angry. Wanda also stared at him, angry.</p><p>"His 'brother' has brought nothing but chaos to Earth since he got there." Fury said. The girls were still angry, they just didn't want an argument. </p><p>
  <b>"Loki is a prisoner." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Then why do I feel like he's the only person on this boat that wants to be here?"</b>
</p><p>"Because I am, you just didn't know why." Loki said.</p><p>"Some of us still don't know why." Quill mumbled.</p><p>"Isn't it obvious, Peter? He's on the inside now, everything is going according to plan for him." Gamora said.</p><p>
  <b>Loki is walking in his cell, suddenly he stops and turns around. </b>
</p><p>Loki and Natasha both looked uncomfortable. </p><p>"Want to see why they call me silvertongue?" Loki asked, voice light.</p><p>
  <b>"There's not many people who can sneak up on me." He says. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"But you figured I'd come." Natasha responds.</b>
</p><p>"Maybe not you specifically, but I figured someone might."</p><p>
  <b>"After. After whatever tortures Fury can concoct, you would appear as a friend, as a balm. And I would cooperate."</b>
</p><p>"How the hell did you figure that out?" Coulson asked.</p><p>"Its how things usually work, I don't see why that should change then." Loki said. 'Usually?' A few people thought, confused. </p><p>"I'd say he would make a good spy of he wasn't batshit crazy." Carol said. Fury glared at her. "What, I'm saying if he <em>wasn't</em> crazy. Also I'm going to say whatever I can to offend you because you didn't call me in to help them fight those aliens." </p><p>
  <b>"I want to know what you've done to agent Barton."</b>
</p><p>
  <b> "I would say I've expanded his mind."</b>
</p><p>"I would say you took my mind." Clint said, giving Loki a death glare.</p><p>
  <b>Natasha walks forward. "And once you've won, once your king of the mountain, what happens to his mind?" </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Oh, is this love agent Romanoff?" </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Love is for children. I owe him a debt."</b>
</p><p>"You don't really owe me anything." Clint said.</p><p>
  <b>Loki walks backwards to sit on the bench. "Tell me." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>Natasha contemplated, for a moment, whether she should tell him or not. She sits down on a nearby chair. "Before I worked for SHIELD I uh... well I made a name for myself. I have a very specific skill set. I didn't care who I used it for, or on. I got on SHIELD's radar in a bad way. Agent Barton was sent to kill me, he made a different call." </b>
</p><p>Natasha didn't show it, but she was uncomfortable having everyone who didn't already know the story hear the story.</p><p>"You were supposed to kill her?" Steve asked. Clint nodded, stiffly.</p><p>
  <b>"And what will you do if I vow to spare him?" </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Not let you out."</b>
</p><p>"I expected as much." Loki said.</p><p>"You would be a fool to do so."</p><p>
  <b>"No but I like this, your world in the balance and you bargain for one man."</b>
</p><p>"You would understand that if you actually cared about someone." Natasha said.</p><p>"Don't assume that I don't care about people." Loki said, suddenly very offended and angry.</p><p>"Okay... that you *She pointed to the screen* would understand that if he cared about someone." She corrected. </p><p>Stephen remembered what Bruce told him when he fell into the sanctum about what happened when he was in space, how Thanos got the space stone. <em><span class="u"><b>(A/N Because homeboy's from 2018 so he knows about everything)</b></span></em></p><p>
  <b>Natasha shakes her head. "Regimes fall everyday, I tend not to weep over that, I'm Russian... or I was."</b>
</p><p>The avengers, except Clint looked confused, Nationality doesn't change if you become a different person.</p><p>
  <b>"And what are you now?" Natasha stands up. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Its really not that complicated, I've got red in my ledger, I'd like to wipe it out." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Can you?"</b>
</p><p>The avengers all had 'oh-shit' looks on their faces. There was now way this would end well</p><p>
  <b>"Can you wipe out that much red? Drakov's daughter? São Paulo? The hospital fire? Barton told me everything." Natasha's eyes widened. </b>
</p><p>Clint was livid. He was angry at Loki for talking to Tasha like that and he was angry at himself for telling Loki those things.</p><p>Natasha noticed this and looked over to him. "Its not your fault, Clint." She said. Clint ignored her and gave Loki a death glare. Loki noticed that, but chose not to say anything.</p><p>
  <b>He stands up. "Your ledger is dripping, gushing red."</b>
</p><p>"Probably looks clean next to yours." Clint snarked. "Clint. Stop." Natasha said, giving him a look that said 'now is not the time for this.'</p><p><b>"And you think saving a man no more virtuous than yourself will change anything?"</b> </p><p>"I really don't think your in any position to talk." Fury said.</p><p>"I don't think the majority of people in this room are in any position to put anyone down for killing, that's my opinion." Loraine said. </p><p>
  <b>"This is the basest sentimentality. This is a child at prayer... pathetic. *Tony and Bruce are working in the lab* You lie and kill in the service of liars and killers. *Maria looks at a computer 'Virus detected.* You pretend to be separate, to have your own code."</b>
</p><p>"They know you have JARVIS in there now." Pepper said.</p><p>
  <b>"Something that makes up for the horrors *Steve opens a crate* But they are a part of you and they will never go away!" </b>
</p><p>"are you speaking from experience or are you just good at reading people?" Nebula asked.</p><p>"Perhaps it is both." Loki answered. </p><p><b>Inside the crate, there are HYDRA  weapons.</b> </p><p>"What the hell are you doing with those!?" Peggy, Howard and Bucky shouted.</p><p>
  <b>Loki bangs on the glass. Natasha flinches back.</b>
</p><p>Everyone except Natasha and Loki, who both knew what was coming, flinched in time with on-screen Natasha. </p><p>
  <b>"I won't touch Barton. Not until I make him kill you slowly, intimately, in every way he knows you fear. Then he'll wake just long enough to see his good work and when he screams I'll split his skill." He hisses. </b>
</p><p>A few people look at him warily, others angrily. "That is fucked up dude, that is fucked up." Quill said.</p><p>Clint looked like he wanted to chop Loki's head off. </p><p>
  <b>"That is my bargain you mewling quim."</b>
</p><p>"Loki!" Thor scolded.</p><p>Loki cringed.</p><p>Natasha now looked angry and offended, she looked the term up after that little escapade.</p><p>Valkyrie punched his arm. Others looked confused not knowing what the insult meant, only knowing it was offensive.</p><p>"I am Groot."</p><p>"You don't want to know, trust me." Gamora said, angry.</p><p>"I want to know." Quill said.</p><p>"Just know it's probably one of the most offensive things you can say to a woman." Valkyrie said. </p><p>
  <b>"You're a monster." Natasha whispers as she turns around.</b>
</p><p>Others made noises of agreement. </p><p>Loki flinched, hearing the word, he knew he deserved it but nobody likes to be called a monster.</p><p><b>"No. You brought the monster."</b> </p><p>Bruce flinched, knowing that the... monster Loki was talking about was him. </p><p>"Why is something telling me that you didn't just mean Bruce when you said that?" Natasha asked.</p><p>"I meant him and I meant me. By having either of us there, you're putting yourselves in danger, just in different ways." Loki responded. </p><p>
  <b>Natasha turns back around, completely composed. "So, Banner. That's your play." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"What?" </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Loki means to unleash the Hulk. Keep Banner in the lab, I'm on my way. Send Thor as well." She says into an earpiece, she turns to Loki. "Thank you for your cooperation." </b>
</p><p>"You knew what she was going to do and she still got the information, you're slacking Laki." Valkyrie said. Loki rolled his eyes.</p><p>Natasha looked a little smug.</p><p>
  <b>Fury walks into the lab. Tony is sitting on a table, Bruce is standing next to him. "What are you doing Mr. Stark?" He asks. </b>
</p><p><b>"Uh, kind of been wondering the same thing about you."</b> </p><p>"Oooh. Burn." Shuri said. </p><p><b>"You're supposed to be locating the tesseract."</b> </p><p>"Bold of you to assume we weren't." Tony said.</p><p>
  <strong>"We are. The model's locked ans we're sweeping for the signature now when we get a hit we'll have the location within a half a mile." Bruce says and points to a computer across the room. </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>"And you'll get your cube back no muss, no fuss."</strong>
</p><p>"Except that didn't happen." Tony said. "Thankfully." He added quietly.</p><p>
  <b>His computer beeps and he looks back at it. "What is phase 2?" He asks. Steve walks in and slams one of the prototypes on the table. "Phase 2 is SHIELD uses the cube to make weapons. Sorry the computer was moving a little slow for me."</b>
</p><p>Tony looked offended, insult him all you want but don't insult his tech, especially not JARVIS.</p><p><b>"Rogers, we gathered everything related to the tesseract This does not mean we're making-"</b> </p><p>"That's a lie, a bad one as well." Loki said. </p><p>
  <b>Tony turns his screen around, it shows blueprints for weapons. "I'm sorry Nick. What we're you lying?" he asks. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"I was wrong director, the world hasn't changed a bit."  Natasha and Thor walk in.</b>
</p><p>
  <b> "Did you know about this?" Bruce asks Natasha. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"You wanna think about removing yourself from this environment, doctor?" Bruce laughs. </b>
</p><p><b>"I was in Culcutta. I was pretty well removed.</b> </p><p>"This is going well." Scott said sarcastically. </p><p><b>"Loki's manipulating you."</b> </p><p>"I'm not technically doing anything."</p><p>
  <b>"And you've been doing what exactly?"</b>
</p><p>"Yikes." Quill said.</p><p>
  <b>"You didn't come here because I bat my eyelashes at you." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Yeah, and I'm not leaving because suddenly you get a little twitchy."</b>
</p><p>"To be completely fair, you were entirely aware of the risks of bringing him on board and you recruited him anyway." Hope said.</p><p>
  <b>"I'd like to know why SHIELD is using the tesseract to build weapons of mass destruction." Bruce says to Fury.  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>Fury points to Thor. "Because of him." He says. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Me?" Thor asks. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Last year Earth had a visitor from another planet who had a grudge that leveled a small town we learned that not only are we not alone but we are hopelessly and hilariously outgunned."</b>
</p><p>"That's not an excuse." Steve said.</p><p>
  <b>"My people want nothing but peace with your planet." Thor says. </b>
</p><p><b>"But you're not the only people out there are you? And you're not the only threat." Fury counters.</b> </p><p>"He has a point." Loki said. Everyone turned to look at him, surprised. "After what the Chitauri and subsequently I did to your city do you really not want to believe that there are other alien races that would wish to start a war with your people?"</p><p>
  <b>"The world's filling up with people who can't be matched, that can't be controlled."</b>
</p><p>A few people were starting to see Fury's side of the argument. He is right about that, in this room alone there's already a lot of people like those he just described, who's to say there aren't a whole lot more?</p><p>
  <b>"Like you controlled the cube?" Steve asks. </b>
</p><p><b>"Your work with the tesseract is what drew Loki to it, and his allies." Thor said.</b>  </p><p>"Actually, it drew Thanos to it and the Chitauri weren't really my allies." Loki corrected. "I just got stuck doing his dirty work."</p><p>"We get it, you weren't entirely in charge on the invasion, can we watch the drama please." Valkyrie said.</p><p>
  <b>"It is a signal to all the realms that Earth is ready for a higher form of war."</b>
</p><p>"Well, he's not wrong." Rocket said. </p><p>
  <b>"A higher form? You forced our hand, we had to come up with something-" Fury starts . </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"A nuclear deterrent. Because that always calms everything right down." Tony interrupts. </b>
</p><p><b>"Remind me again how you made your fortune, Stark?"</b> </p><p>"I'd like to remind you why I took a different route." Tony said.</p><p><b>"I'm sure if he still made weapons, Stark would be neck deep- "</b> </p><p>"Nobody asked you, Steve. You said you don't like bullies and yet you've shown him nothing but hostility since you got there, and for what?" Rhodey asked. Steve didn't answer.</p><p>
  <b>"Wait wait, hold on how is this suddenly about me?" </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"I'm sorry isn't everything?"</b>
</p><p>"Steve, I really don't think he is a person you want to provoke." Peggy said. </p><p>
  <b>"I thought humans were more evolved than this." Thor said. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Excuse me, did we come to your planet and blow stuff up?" Fury asks.</b>
</p><p>"I'm sure if we could one of the countries would have tried." MJ said.</p><p>Fury stared at her. "No no, she has a point." Maria said.</p><p>
  <b>"You treat your champions with such mistrust." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Are you boys really that naive? SHIELD monitors potential threats." Natasha says.</b>
</p><p>
  <b> "Captain America is on threat watch."</b>
</p><p>"Technically you all are." Coulson said.</p><p>"If any of you were ever compromised you would be a threat to national security." Natasha said.</p><p>"Comforting." Tony said.</p><p>
  <b>"We all are." Natasha says. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Wait, you're on that list are you above or below angry bees?"</b>
</p><p>Sam started snickering. "He compared you to an angry bee, that's pretty funny, man." He said when Steve glanced at him.</p><p>
  <b>The scepter is glowing.</b>
</p><p>"Why is it doing that?" Thor asked Loki.</p><p>"It scenes anger and hostility and its amplifying that."</p><p>"So those things we all said about each other, were they real?" Steve asked.</p><p>"They were very much real, you just wouldn't have said them without the influence." Loki said.</p><p>
  <b>"Stark so help me, God, if you make one more wisecrack."</b>
</p><p>"You'll what?" Tony challenged.</p><p>
  <b>"Threat! Verbal threat, I feel threatened." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Show some respect."</b>
</p><p>"Respect is earned Captain tight-ass you can't demand mine of you don't give me yours." Tony said.</p><p>
  <b>"Respect what?" The scepter is emitting a high pitched noise.</b>
</p><p>"This is going splendidly." Rocket said, being reminded of the first official meeting of his team. </p><p>
  <b>A picture of the scepter is on a screen in a plane. "Transport six bravo please relay confirm codes I've got you on the computer but not on the day log what is your haul? Over." A female agent says over a radio. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Arms and ammunition. Over." One of the pilots says. agents in the back of the plane are getting ready. Clint gets his bow out.</b>
</p><p>"This just keeps getting worse." T'Challa said. </p><p>"On the bright side, if there even is a bright side, at least I finally know what I was doing during the time I was under control." Clint said. </p><p>
  <b>"You speak of control yet you court chaos." Thor says. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"That's his MO isn't it? I mean what are we a team? No no, we're a chemical mixture that makes chaos, we're- we're a time bomb." Bruce adds. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"You need to step away." Fury commands. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Why shouldn't the guy let off a little steam?" Tony asks and leans on Steve's shoulder. </b>
</p><p>"Wrong thing to say." Pepper says.</p><p>
  <b>"You know damn well why, back off." Steve says and pushes Tony off. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"I'm starting to want you to make me." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Yeah, big man in a suit of armor. Take that off what are you?" </b>
</p><p><b>"Genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist." Natasha tilts her head in a way that says 'he's not wrong'.</b> </p><p>Steve and Tony looked increasingly distressed.  </p><p>
  <b>"I know guys with none of that worth ten of you and I've seen the footage the only thing you ever fight for is yourself."</b>
</p><p>"Is that so. Video doesn't always paint people in the best light." Tony said.</p><p>
  <b>"You're not the guy to make the sacrifice play. To lay down on the wire and let the other guy crawl over you." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"I think I would just cut the wire." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Always a way out."</b>
</p><p>"That's because if you weigh all of your options there usually is." Tony said. </p><p>
  <b>"You know you may not be a threat but you better stop pretending to be a hero." "A hero? Like you? You're a laboratory experiment Rogers, everything special about you came out of a bottle."</b>
</p><p>"Tony." Pepper scolded. "So he's allowed to rip into be but as soon as I dish it back I'm in the wrong?" Tony asked.</p><p>"You're both in the wrong. You've barely met each other and yet you assume the worst." Coulson said. "You're only seeing the worst parts of each other because that's what you want to see. I'm not gonna make you apologize to each other but please just look beyond what you don't like."</p><p>"Yes, agent Coulson." "Yes Agent." Tony and Steve said at the same time, both feeling like children being scolded by their mother.</p><p><b>Clint opens the back hatch on the plane and shoots an arrow at the heli-carrier.</b> </p><p>"And now there's that." Scott said. "No offence, man." He adds, looking at Clint.</p><p><b>"Put on the suit, let's go a few rounds."</b> </p><p>"And what exactly is that going to solve?" Peggy asked. </p><p>
  <b>Thor laughs. "You people are so petty and tiny."</b>
</p><p>"In case you hadn't noticed, we are not all 6ft tall gods and goddesses." Clint said.</p><p>
  <b>"Yeah, this a team." Bruce says. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Agent Romanoff would you please escort Dr. Banner back to his-" Fury starts.</b>
</p><p>
  <b> "Where, you rented my room?" </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"The cell was just in case-" </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"In case you needed to kill me but you can't I know I tried... I got low, I didn't see an end so I put a bullet in my mouth and the other guy spit it out."</b>
</p><p>A few people shot him looks of pity. Others have hum looks of concern. Loki shot him a look of understanding. <span class="u"><em><b>(A/N I don't know of any others that have tried to do... that)</b></em></span></p><p>
  <b>"So I moved on. I focused on helping other people. I was good. Until you dragged me back into this freak show and put everyone here at risk. You want to know my secret agent Romanoff, you want to know how I stay calm?" Fury and Natasha both reached for their guns.</b>
</p><p>"What do you think shooting is gonna do, he literally just said that didn't affect him." Peggy said. </p><p>
  <b>"Dr. Banner. Put down the scepter." Steve said. Bruce looks down to see that he is in fact holding the scepter in his hand. </b>
</p><p><b>The computer across the room beeps, Bruce puts the scepter down and walks to the computer.</b> <b>"Got it." Tony says.</b></p><p>"That should have been another clue that there was something else going on here." Tony said, referring to how Bruce was acting when he had the scepter in his hand and how it made all of them act.</p><p>
  <b>"Sorry kids, you don't get to see my party trick after all." Bruce says. </b>
</p><p>"Why do you people always downplay the most important or threatening things?" Shuri asked.</p><p>
  <b>"You located the tesseract?" Thor asks.</b>
</p><p>
  <b> "I could get there fastest." Tony says.</b>
</p><p>
  <b> "Look all of us-" Steve starts. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"The tesseract belongs on Asgard no human is a match for it." Thor says.</b>
</p><p>"As long as it doesn't reach Thanos." Gamora said.</p><p>
  <b> Tony goes to leave anyway but Steve grabs his arm to stop him. "You're not going alone." He says.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Tony smacks his arm away. "You gonna stop me?" </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Put on the suit, let's find out." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"I'm not afraid to hit an old man." </b>
</p><p><b>"Put on the suit.</b>"</p><p>"Steve why do you want to fight him so bad?" Bucky asked. </p><p>
  <b>"Oh my God." Bruce whispers. Clint pushes a button and the arrow explodes. Bruce and Natasha fall through the floor. Steve and Tony fall on the floor. A few agents get knocked through some glass. </b>
</p><p>"This just sucks." Peter said.</p><p>
  <b>Steve and Tony sit up. "Put on the suit." Steve says, worried. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Yeah." Tony says and tries to stand, Steve helps him up. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"All hands to stations." An agent says over the PA. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>Fury sits up, breathing heavily. "Hill." He says over comms. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"External detonation. Number 3 engine is down." </b>
</p><p>"I'm sorry." Clint said.</p><p>"It wasn't your fault and you know that, don't blame yourself." Natasha said.</p><p>
  <b>"We've been hit." An agent says. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Can we get it running?" Hill asks. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"We've got a fire in engine 3." Another agent says. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Talk to me." Hill says. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Turbine looks mostly intact but its impossible to get out there and make repairs while we're in the air." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"If we lose one more engine we won't be."</b>
</p><p>"This is just terrible, nothing can go right for you guys can it?" Quill asked.</p><p>
  <b>"Somebody's gotta get outside and patch that engine." Maria says. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Stark, you copy that?" Fury asks. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"I'm on it." Tony replies. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Coulson initiate defensive lockdown in the detention section then get to the armory." Coulson rushes down a set of stairs.</b>
</p><p>
  <b> "Romanoff?" Natasha is trapped under debris with Bruce, who is breathing heavily. "We're okay."</b>
</p><p>"Something tells me you wont be soon, though." Stephen said.</p><p>
  <b>"We're okay right?" she asks Bruce.</b>
</p><p>"Oh no."</p><p>
  <b>Clint and his group of agents drop down into the heli-carrier. "Keep that engine down." He says. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Yes, sir." An agent says. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Detention, wait for cameras to go dark."</b>
</p><p>
  <b> "Got it."</b>
</p><p><b> "Stay close."</b> </p><p>Clint avoided looking at the screen. </p><p><b>Steve and Tony are running through the ship. "Engine 3, I'll meet you there."</b> </p><p>'Why did I have to ask the one guy who wasn't around for the evolution of technology to help me?' Tony asked himself.</p><p>
  <b>He pulls out his phone, presses a few buttons and a wall opens up, revealing his suit. Bruce and Natasha are still trapped. "Doctor?" Bruce groans. "Bruce? You got to fight it, this is just what Loki wants. We're gonna be okay, listen to me." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>Two agents rush into the room. "Are you hurt?" One asks. </b>
  <b>Natasha waves them off, they leave. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"We're gonna be okay, alright. I swear on my life I will get you out of this you will walk away and never ever-" </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Your life!?" Bruce growls, turning green. He starts turning into the hulk. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Bruce." Natasha whispers. </b>
</p><p><b>Hulk roars.</b> </p><p>"Oh shit." Everyone who wasn't on that heli-carrier said.</p><p><b>Natasha finally frees herself. She stands up, Hulk sees her. She runs up a flight of stairs. Hulk rips off the staircase.</b> </p><p>Bruce also avoided looking at the screen. </p><p>
  <b>The hulk roars again. Loki hears and lifts his head and grins.</b>
</p><p>"You had a shitty plan." Fury said.</p><p>"It worked out for a while did it not?" Loki asked.</p><p>"That's not what I meant and you know it." Fury said.</p><p>
  <b>Fury makes his way to the bridge. "Bring the carrier about to a  1-8-0 heading south! Take us to the water, we're flying blind." He says. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Navigation's re-calibrating after the engine failure." An agent says. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Is the sun coming up" </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Yes sir." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Then put it on the lest, get us over water, one more turbine goes down and we drop." </b>
</p><p>"You don't have to be so mean to them, you know." Maria said.</p><p>"Then they should do their jobs." Fury responded.</p><p>
  <b>Steve opens the door to get to the engine. "Stark! Stark I'm here!" He yells. Tony flies over to the wreckage. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Good, lets see what we've got. I've gotta get the superconducting coolant system back online. *3D images of the wreckage appear inside of his helmet.* Before I can access those rotors. Work on dislodging the debris. I need you to get to that engine control panel and tell me which relays are in overload position."</b>
</p><p>"No offence to Steve, but he's probably the last person you should have brought out there to help you." Shuri said.</p><p>"No offence taken I an hopeless when it comes to modern technology." Steve said.</p><p>
  <b>Steve jumps up to the control panel and Tony makes his way to the engine. Steve opens the panel up. Red flashing lights appear. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"What's it look like in there?" Tony asks.</b>
</p><p><b> "It seems to run on some sort of electricity."</b> </p><p>"I rest my case." Shuri said. </p><p><b>"Well, you're not wrong."</b> </p><p>A few people, namely the scientists laughed. </p><p>
  <b>Natasha is sneaking around the ship, gun in her hand. She turns around to see Hulk. He roars.</b>
</p><p>A few people flinched at the sudden noise. "That scared the shit out of me." Peter said.</p><p>"Language." Steve reprimanded, kids should not be swearing.</p><p>"Oh, sorry. Eso me asustó muchísimo." Peter corrected himself. The teenagers laughed.</p><p>
  <b>Natasha shoots at him but hits the pipe above him. She starts running. Hulk starts chasing her, she runs faster. He catches up to her and smacks her into a wall. </b>
</p><p>A few people cringed. That looked like it hurt pretty bad. </p><p><b>Hulk goes to hit her but Thor tackles him through the wall.</b> </p><p>"My hero." Natasha joked.</p><p>
  <b>There's a large group of agents in that room, they all start running. Hulk tries to punch Thor, who's dodging. Thor then punches him in the face. Hulk goes to hit him on the head, Thor holds his hand in place. "We are not your enemies Banner, try to think."</b>
</p><p>"He doesn't really like being called that." Bruce said.</p><p>
  <b>Hulk throws him away. Tony finally makes his way to the turbine. "Okay the relays are intact. what's our next move?" Steve asks as he puts the control panel back in place. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Even if I clear the rotors this thing won't re-engage without a jump. I'm gonna have to get in there and push."</b>
</p><p>"That is a horrible idea." Strange said. </p><p>
  <b>"Well, if that thing gets up to speed, you'll get shredded." </b>
</p><p>"Hence, why it is a horrible idea." Strange continued. </p><p>
  <b>"That stator control unit can reduce the polarity long enough to disengage maglev and that could-"</b>
</p><p><b> "Speak English."</b> </p><p>"That is English." Shuri said.</p><p>"No that's weird freaky science English." Rhodey said.</p><p><b>Tony rolls his eyes, exasperated. "See that red lever?"</b>  </p><p>"He said English not toddler." Sam said.</p><p>
  <b>"It'll slow the rotors down long enough for me to get out. Stand by it. Wait for my word." Steve jumps over to the lever. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>Thor gets thrown into a stack of cases. He stands up, crouched and holds his hand out, calling Mjolnir. When Mjolnir finally gets to him, he hits Hulk in the jaw with it. He falls into a plane. He rips the wing off of the plane and throws it at Thor, who slides under it. He throws Mjolnir at Hulk, who grabs it and goes flying with it. He tries to lift it but can't.</b>
</p><p>"Congratulations, you've pissed him off even more." Valkyrie said.</p><p><b>Thor kicks him in the face and picks up the hammer and puts Hulk in a choke-hold. "We need full evac on the lower hangar bay." Fury said. Hill walks off, an explosive slides into the room. "Grenade!" She yells. It blows up.</b> </p><p>"Worse and worse." Rocket said. </p><p>
  <b>2 of Clint's agents walk into the room. Fury lets one pass, then disarms the other one. Then knocks them both out. A 3rd agent enters, Hill shoots him. Coulson is walking toward the detention area. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"We've got a perimeter breach hostiles are in SHIELD gear. call-outs at every junction." An agent says over the PA. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>Hulk jumps through the ceiling, taking Thor with him, Hulk snatches him up </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"We have the Hulk and Thor on research level 4. Levels 2 and 3 are dark." Another agent says over the PA. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Sir, the Hulk will tear this place apart." Hill yells.</b>
</p><p>"Sorry Dr. Banner." Maria apologized.</p><p>"No, its fine, I get that a lot." Bruce said.</p><p>
  <b>"Get his attention." Fury said. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Escort 6-0 proceed to wishbone and engage hostile. Don't get too close." A plane flies up to the heli-carrier.</b>
</p><p>
  <b> "Copy." The pilot says. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Target acquired." Hulk picks up Thor and throws him into a wall. "target engaged." The pilot starts shooting. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Target angry! Target angry!" Hulk jumps onto the plane.</b>
</p><p>"Well, what did he think was going to happen!?" Scott asked.</p><p><b>Hulk tears the plane apart. The pilot ejects, Hulk throws him, he activates his parachute. The plane explodes, Hulk is sent flying back.</b>  </p><p>"At least the pilots okay." Bruce said quietly. </p><p><b>Tony uses lasers to dislodge the debris. Two of Clint's agents walk over to where Steve is. One tries to throw a grenade, Steve jumps and hits it out of the way before it blows up.</b> </p><p>'So that's why he took so long' Tony realized. </p><p>
  <b>He knocks an agent down and takes the other and throws him off. A 3rd enters and starts shooting. Steve throws something, the agent dodges. Steve jumps and grabs a gun, and starts shooting at the agent. Fury shoots an agent that tries to get to the bridge. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"They're not getting through here. What the hell." He whispers. </b>
</p><p><b>Clint shoots an explosive arrow into the room. Then one that crashed the computers.</b> </p><p>Natasha sensed Clint's discomfort and rubbed his arm a couple times. </p><p><b>Another engine powers down. "Engine 1 is now in shut-down."</b> </p><p>"You really can't catch a break." Quill said.</p><p>
  <b>The heli-carrier starts falling. "Sir, we've lost all power in engine 1." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Its Barton, he took out our systems. He's headed for the detention level. Anybody copy?" Fury asks. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>Natasha is still sitting by a case, she's shaking. "This is agent Romanoff. I copy." She says then stands up. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Stark we're losing altitude." Fury says. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Yeah I noticed." Tony says and stars pushing the rotors. Steve is still shooting at the agent, he almost falls off the platform but grabs a rope. Thor runs to where Loki's cell is. The door is opening.</b>
</p><p>"Son of a bitch." Rocket said.</p><p>
  <b>Loki steps out. "No!" Thor yells and runs to stop him. But that Loki isn't Loki and Thor gets trapped in the cell. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>The real Loki is standing outside of the cell. "Are you ever not going to fall for that?" He asks. </b>
</p><p>Despite the situation a few people couldn't help but laugh.</p><p>"It only took about 500 years." Loki says. </p><p>
  <b>Clint is walking through the ship. Natasha appears behind him. Clint turns around, Natasha grabs the bow as he is about to shoot, causing him to miss. She twists his arm an and he kicks her. She dodges and kicks him, then slides to the deck below. Clint follows, she kicks him. He shoots again and misses, as swings around on a pole.</b>
</p><p>"See you missed again." Natasha points out. "So once again your subconscious recognizes someone as an important person."</p><p>
  <b>They continue fighting. Natasha grabs the string on his bow. Then wacks him in the face, causing him to let go of it. He pulls out a knife. </b>
</p><p>"Oh dear."</p><p>
  <b>Thor hits the glass with his hammer, cracking it. The cell shakes. Loki smiles and walks over to the control panel. "The humans think us immortal. Should we test that?"</b>
</p><p>"No. No you definitely should not." Sam said, knowing he was most likely going to anyway.</p><p>
  <b>Coulson knocks out one of the agents. He's holding a large gun in his hands. "Move away, please."</b>
</p><p>Loki and Coulson were starting to look a little ill at ease.</p><p><b>Loki complies. "You like this? We started working on the prototype after you sent the destroyer. Even I don't know what it does. *he powers it up* You want to find out?" He asks.</b> </p><p>"You guys will make weapons out of anything won't you?" Hank asked.</p><p><b>The real Loki is actually behind Coulson. He stabs him with the scepter.</b> </p><p>The avengers all looked livid, so what of Coulson didn't die, the bastard still stabbed him. </p><p>
  <b>"No!" Thor screams. Coulson falls to the floor. Loki walks over to the control panel again, he opens the floor and his hand hovers over the eject button. He presses it and the cell drops. </b>
</p><p>Loki stood up and walked over to Thor. "I know you have no reason to believe me but I do apologize for... dropping you out of the sky." He says. "And you all hate me but I am sorry for killing your friend." Loki said, not knowing that Coulson wasn't dead. He sat back down.</p><p>Natasha stared at him, seeing remorse on his face, she nodded but said nothing.</p><p><b>Natasha and Clint are still fighting. She twists his arm. Clint has a knife pointed at her neck, her head is bent back to keep it away. She bites him.</b> </p><p>"You bit him?" Tony asked, incredulously.</p><p>
  <b>She flips around him and his head gets slammed into a bar. He groans and struggles to get back up. "Natasha?" He asks. Natasha knocks him out. </b>
</p><p>"Why did you knock him out?" Scott asked, he thought Clint was fine after the first hit.</p><p>"His eyes were still blue, better to be safe than sorry." Natasha said.</p><p>
  <b>Thor is still falling, he gets bounced around the cage before finding even footing against one of the walls and breaks out before it hits the ground. Loki takes his hand off the control panel. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"You're going to lose." Coulson says. Loki turns around. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Am I?" "Its in you're nature." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Your heroes are scattered your floating fortress-"</b>
</p><p>"Floating fortress?" Tony asked, thinking that was a better name than heli-carrier. Of course he didn't share his opinion.</p><p>
  <b>"Falls from the sky. Where is my disadvantage?" </b>
</p><p>"That is true." Rocket said.</p><p>
  <b>"You lack conviction."</b>
</p><p>"That is also true." Rocket said.</p><p>"So you knew too?" Fury asked, wondering how he himself never caught that.</p><p>"It was all in the way he was acting, sir." Coulson said.</p><p>
  <b>Loki looked angry. "I don't think I'm-"</b>
</p><p>
  <b> Coulson shoots him with his destroyer weapon. Loki gets knocked back. "So that's what it does." Coulson muses. </b>
</p><p>The SHIELD agents and Avengers laughed.</p><p>
  <b>"All hands to crash stations immediately." An agent says over the PA. Tony is still pushing the rotors. They start picking up speed. The heli-carrier starts to stabilize. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Cap hit the lever." He says. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"I need a minute here."</b>
</p><p>"There's no time for a minute." Shuri said.</p><p>
  <b>"Lever... now." Tony says, anxiously. Steve is still getting shot at by the agent. Tony's hands fall away from the rotors and he gets pressed up against another one. "Uh-oh." he gets sucked underneath them. "Help!" Steve finally pulls the lever. Tony falls out and struggles to stabilize himself.</b>
</p><p>A few people let out breaths they hadn't known they'd been holding.</p><p>
  <b>He flies over to Steve and tackles the agent. He falls onto his hide. Loki flies off in another ship.</b>
</p><p>"Dammit." </p><p>
  <b>Fury kneels in front of Coulson. "Sorry, boss. The god rabbited." Coulson says.</b>
</p><p>
  <b> "Just stay awake. Eyes on me." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"No, I'm clocking out here."</b>
</p><p>
  <b> "Not an option." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Its okay boss. This was never gonna work if they didn't have something to..."</b>
</p><p>"Something to what?" Clint asked.</p><p>"Encourage you 6 to work together." Coulson said.</p><p>"So you faked your death to make us work as a team?" Bruce asked.</p><p>"My death wasn't fake."</p><p>"But you're alive..." Tony said.</p><p>"I was dead for a few days them I was alive again."</p><p>"So project TAHITI worked?" Fury asked.</p><p>Coulson nodded, choosing not to tell him about the small glitch. </p><p>
  <b>Fury stands up. 2 medics take Coulson's body away. Maria is being tended to by a nurse. "Agent Coulson is down, they're here. They called it." </b>
</p><p><b>Steve and Tony are sitting at a large table.</b> </p><p>'He's gonna be so mad about his cards.' Tony thought.</p><p>
  <b>"These were in Phil Coulson's jacket." Fury says and tosses bloody cards on the table.</b>
</p><p>Coulson's eyes widened. His cards! "Those were in my locker." Coulson said.</p><p>"They needed the push." Fury said.</p><p>"Was me dying not enough?" He asked.</p><p><b>"Guess he never did get you to sign them."</b> </p><p>"I'm sorry I never did." Steve said. </p><p>
  <b>"We're dead in the air up here. Our communications, location of the cube, Banner, Thor... I got nothing for you. I lost my one good eye, maybe I had that coming."</b>
</p><p>Everyone frowned. knowing that he meant Coulson.</p><p>
  <b>"Yes, we were going to build an arsenal with the tesseract."</b>
</p><p>"He finally admits it." Scott said. </p><p>
  <b>"I never put all my chips on that number, though, because I was playing something even riskier."</b>
</p><p>'The avengers.' Everyone but Steve, Maria, Coulson, Tony and Fury thought.</p><p>
  <b>"There was an idea, Stark knows this, called the avengers initiative. The idea was to bring together a group of remarkable people to see of they could become something more. To see if they could work together when we needed them too. To fight the battles we never could. Phil Coulson died still believing in that idea. In heroes." Tony stands up and leaves.</b>
</p><p>"Why did you walk out?" Pepper asked. Tony shook his head, not wanting to answer.</p><p>
  <b>"Well, it's an old fashioned notion."</b>
</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Attack on Manhattan</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>Thor is waking in a meadow. He comes across Mjolnir. He tries to call it to his fist but doesn't.</b>
</p><p>"Doubting your worth again?" Loki questioned.</p><p>
  <b>Bruce is naked, lying on a pile of concrete. "You fell out of the sky." An old man says. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Did I hurt anybody?" Bruce asks. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"There's nobody around here to get hurt. You did scare the hell out of some pigeons, though."</b>
</p><p>"Everyone knows pigeons aren't birds anymore, they're government spies." Ned said.</p><p>"The birds work for the bourgeoisie." Peter said. </p><p>'What is up with these kids?' Steve thought.</p><p>
  <b>"Lucky." Bruce says. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Or just good aim. You were awake when you fell." The old man says. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"You saw?" </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"The whole thing."</b>
</p><p>"And he's still there?" Clint asked, quietly.</p><p>
  <b>"Right through the ceiling. Big and Green and buck ass nude."</b>
</p><p>A few people, against their better judgement, laughed.</p><p>
  <b>He tosses Bruce some clothes. "Here. Didn't think those would fit you until you shrunk down to a regular sized fella." Bruce puts the pants on.</b>
</p><p>
  <b> "Thank you." He says. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Are you an alien?" </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"What?" </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"From outer space you know, an alien?" </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"No." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Well, then son, you've got a condition."</b>
</p><p>"Understatement of the year award goes to random old guy." Shuri said, dramatically. </p><p>
  <b>Clint wakes up, the room is glowing. "Clint, you're going to be alright." Natasha says. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"You know that? Is that what you know? *Natasha walks up to him* I've got no window. I have to flush him out." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"You've gotta level out. Its gonna take time." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"You don't understand. Have you ever had someone take your brain and play. Pull you out and stuff something else in?"</b>
</p><p>"Yes." Bucky, Natasha, Loki, and Quill said.</p><p><b>"Do you know what its like to be unmade?"</b> </p><p>"Yes." Bucky, Nebula, Loki, Gamora, Natasha and Wanda said.</p><p>
  <b>"You know that I do." Natasha said. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Why am I back? How'd you get him out?" </b>
</p><p><b>"Cognitive re-calibration.I hit you really hard on the head."</b> </p><p>"Remember that for future reference." Tony said. </p><p>
  <b>"Thanks. Natasha... how many agents did i-"</b>
</p><p>
  <b> "Don't. Don't do that to yourself Clint. This is Loki. This is monsters and magic and nothing we were ever trained for."</b>
</p><p>Loki felt the correction on the tip of his tongue but didn't say anything.</p><p>
  <b>"Loki? Did he get away?" </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Yeah. I don't suppose you know where."</b>
</p><p>
  <b> "I didn't need to know. I didn't ask. He's gonna make his play soon though, today."</b>
</p><p>
  <b> "We gotta stop him."</b>
</p><p>
  <b> "Yeah? Who's 'we'?" </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"I do</b>
  <b>n't know. Whoever's left."</b>
</p><p><b> "Well, if I put an arrow in Loki's eye socket I'd sleep better I suppose."</b> </p><p>Despite now knowing the full story of what happened in New York, Clint still wanted to put an arrow in his eye socket.</p><p>"Clint I know what you're thinking and I get it, believe me I do, but that won't fix anything what happened is in the past and nothing will change that. I would think that you understand that."</p><p>Clint understood it just fine, but understanding and liking are two different things.</p><p>Loraine sensed the hostility in the room and in a split second, all weapons vanished. "Nobody will be making any attempts on anyone's lives." She said.</p><p>
  <b>"Now you sound like you." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"But you don't. You're a spy not a soldier. Now you want to wade into war, why? What did Loki do to you?" </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"He didn't. I just..." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Natasha." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"I've been compromised."</b>
</p><p>The avengers looked confused, they thought she was fine, she wasn't touched by the scepter. Could it have been the conversation with Loki?</p><p>
  <b>"I got red in my ledger. I'd like to wipe it out."</b>
</p><p>More people were confused So was she compromised or not? </p><p>
  <b>Tony is staring at the spot the cell used to be. Steve walks in. "Was he married?" </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"No. There was a uh cellist, I think."</b>
</p><p>"I knew you cared." Coulson joked.</p><p>
  <b>"I'm sorry. He seemed like a good man." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"He was an idiot."</b>
</p><p>Coulson looked at Tony, slightly offended. </p><p>
  <b>"Why? For believing?" </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"For taking on Loki alone." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"He was doing his job." They start walking toward each other. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"He was out of his league, he should have waited. He should have..." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Sometimes there isn't a way out, Tony." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Right, I've heard that before." Tony says and goes to leave.</b>
</p><p>"Now is not the time to be bitter, you can wait for that." Pepper said.</p><p>
  <b>"Is this the first time you've lost a soldier?"</b>
</p><p>Tony bristled.</p><p>
  <b>"We are not soldiers... I'm not marching to Fury's fife." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Neither am I. He's got the same blood on his hands that Loki does. But right now we got to put that behind us and get this done. *Tony looks at the bloodstain on the wall* Loki needs a power source if we can put together a list-" </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"He made it personal." Tony realized. </b>
</p><p>"That much was obvious." Rocket said.</p><p>
  <b>"That's not the point."</b>
</p><p>
  <b> "That is the point. That's Loki's point. He hit us all right where we live, why?" </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"To tear us apart." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Yeah, divide and conquer is great but he knows he has to take us out to win, right? That's what he wants. He want's to beat us, he wants to be seen doing it, He wants an audience." He walks back up the steps. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Right. I caught his act in Stuttgart." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Yeah, that's just the previews, this is opening night and Loki he's a full tilt diva right."</b>
</p><p>Loki was unsure whether to be offended or not.</p><p>
  <b>"He wants flowers he wants parades. He wants a monument built to the skies-"</b>
</p><p>Loki was suddenly reminded of the statue on Asgard, how did Stark manage to figure him out so quickly.</p><p>
  <b>"With his name plastered- ...son of a bitch." He says and walks away.</b>
</p><p>'The Tower' everyone else realized. Namely Valkyrie and the guardians. </p><p>
  <b>A door slides open. "Time to go." Steve says.</b>
</p><p>
  <b> "Go where?" </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"I'll tell you on the way. Can you fly one of those jets?" Clint walks out of the bathroom. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"I can." He says. Steve looks at Clint, then back at Natasha who nods. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"You got a suit? *Clint nods* Then suit up." He says and leaves.</b>
</p><p>"Okay. This is much better energy." Shuri said. </p><p>
  <b>Thor picks up Mjolnir. Steve grabs his shield, Clint takes his quiver, Natasha powers on her widow bites. Tony is repairing his armor. Thor raises Mjolnir, summoning lightening. Tony is now in the suit as it powers up. Steve, Natasha and Clint walk toward one of the jets. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Hey you guys aren't authorized to be in here." A young agent says. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Son, just don't."</b>
</p><p>Everyone laughed. </p><p>
  <b>Maria walks up to Fury, who has Coulson's cards in his hands. "Sir."</b>
</p><p>
  <b> "Agent Hill." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Those cards, they were in Coulson's locker not in his jacket." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"They needed the push."</b>
</p><p>"Again, was death not enough?" Coulson asked.</p><p>
  <b>He watches as Tony flies past the window. "We have unauthorized departure from bay 6." an agent announces over the PA. They watch as a jet flies past the window. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"They found him. Get our communications back up whatever you have to do. I want eyes on everything." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Yes, sir."</b>
</p><p>"I am very comfortable with the energy we've created in the studio today." Shuri said.</p><p>
  <b>Tony flies to the tower. The machine is powering up. "Sir, I've turned off the arc reactor, but the device is already self-sustaining." JARVIS says. Tony hovers above the roof. "Shut it down Dr. Selvig." He says. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"It's too late. She can't stop now she wants to show us something. A new universe."</b>
</p><p>"Where half the people go missing because of my father." Nebula said angrily. </p><p>
  <b>"Okay." Tony says and shoots the machine with his repulsors. A field around it deflects the pulse. Tony gets knocked back. </b>
</p><p><b>"The barrier is pure energy. Its un-breachable." JARVIS says.</b> </p><p>"He has a knack for stating the obvious doesn't he?" Shuri asked.</p><p>"It's one of his things, like c3po." Tony said.</p><p>
  <b>"Yeah, I got that." He notices Loki on the balcony. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Plan B." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Sir, the mark 7 is not ready for deployment." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Then skip the spinning rims, we're on the clock." He drops down and robots start removing pieces of the suit. </b>
</p><p><b>He glaces at Loki who is about to walk up the stairs to get into the room. "Please tell me you're going to appeal to my humanity."</b> </p><p>"I thought it was this Thanos guy's humanity." Fury said.</p><p>"It is." Gamora, Nebula and Loki said.</p><p>
  <b>"Uh- actually I'm planning to threaten you."</b>
</p><p>
  <b> "You should've left your armor on for that." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Yeah, it's seen a bit of mileage and you've got the glow stick of destiny."</b>
</p><p>"Graduated to nicknaming objects I see." Rhodey said.</p><p><b>"Would you like a drink?"</b> </p><p>"Really, Tony?" Natasha asked.</p><p>"I would actually." Loki said. A glass of some Asgardian alcohol appeared on the arm of his seat.</p><p>
  <b>Loki passes the scepter to his other hand. "Stalling me wont change anything." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"No no no, threatening. No drink? Are you sure? I'm having one." </b>
</p><p>"Can you forget about the drink." Clint asked.</p><p><b>Loki stares out the window. "The Chitauri are coming. Nothing will change that. *He turns back around* What have I to fear?"</b> </p><p>'The green one.' Loki thought to himself.</p><p>
  <b>"The avengers. *He pours his drink* It's what we call ourselves sort of like a team. 'Earth's mightiest heroes' sort of thing." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"</b>
  <b>Yes, I've met them." </b>
</p><p><b>"Yeah." Tony fake laughed.</b> </p><p>"That was the fakest laugh I have ever heard." Shuri said.</p><p>
  <b>"It takes us a while to get any traction, I'll give you that one. But let's do a headcount here. Your brother, the demigod, a super solder living legend who kind of lives up to the legend" He takes two metal bracelets and puts them on. </b>
</p><p>"I'm surprised I got that past you." Tony said.</p><p>"You didn't, I just didn't care." Loki said/</p><p>Steve was just shocked Tony called him a 'living legend'.</p><p>
  <b>A couple of master assassins, a man with breathtaking anger management issues and you, big fella, you've managed to piss off every single one of them." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"That was the plan."</b>
</p><p>"Terrible plan." Valkyrie said.</p><p>"I knew that." Loki said.</p><p>
  <b>"Not a great plan. See when they come and they will, they'll come for you."</b>
</p><p>
  <b> "I have an army."</b>
</p><p>"Not technically your army, as you've said a few times." Scott said.</p><p>
  <b>"We have a Hulk."</b>
</p><p>"You had a lot of faith in me." Bruce noticed.</p><p>
  <b> "I thought the beast had wondered off." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"You're missing the point. There's no throne. There is no version of this where you come out on top. Maybe your army comes and maybe its too much for us but its all on you."</b>
</p><p>"I suppose that's what I get for being a pawn. Also being a scapegoat." Loki mused. </p><p>
  <b>"Because if we can't protect the Earth you can be damn well sure we'll avenge it." He takes a sip of his drink.</b>
</p><p>"Nice speech." Clint said. </p><p>
  <b>"How will your friends have time for me, when their so busy fighting you?" Loki touches the scepter to his chest but nothing happens, he tries again. "This usually works."</b>
</p><p>"Juts curious, why didn't it work?" Clint asked.</p><p>"I guess the arc reactor is good for something." Tony said.</p><p>
  <b>"Well, performance issues, not uncommon."</b>
</p><p>"Tony why did you have to piss him off." Rhodey asked. </p><p>
  <b>"One out of five." Loki grabs him by the neck and throws him to the floor.</b>
  <b> "JARVIS anytime now." Tony grunts. He stands up, Loki grabs him by the neck again.</b>
</p><p>
  <b> "You will all fall before me." </b>
</p><p>"I don't think so reindeer games." Tony said.</p><p>
  <b>"Deploy! Deploy!" Tony chokes out. Loki throws him out the window. The suit flies out after him and catches him before he lands. Tony flies back up to the balcony. "And there's one other person you pissed off. His name was Phil."</b>
</p><p>"You finally use my first name and I'm not around to hear it." Coulson said. </p><p><b>Loki goes to shoot him with the scepter, Tony beats him to the punch and shoots him with a repulsor. knocking him over. The machine powers up and a portal to space opens. The Chitauri pass through it. Tony looks up. "Right. Army." He flies up and starts blasting them. He fires small missiles at them.</b> </p><p>"The Chitauri are the worst army in the galaxy." Rocket says.</p><p>"Just blow up the mother-ship and they're all down in seconds."</p><p>"Wish we knew that last week, thanks, Ratchet." Tony said.</p><p>"Its Rocket."</p><p>
  <b>Chitauri start blowing up cars in the street. Civilians run for their lives. </b>
</p><p>"I guess this is what the Mayans meant when they said the world was supposed to end in 2012." Peter said. "Guess they didn't think anyone would be there to stop it."</p><p>
  <b>A group of people eating outside rush back into the restaurant. Loki steps out of the building, uses magic to change into his armor and watches the chaos. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>Thor drops down on the balcony below him. "Loki! Turn off the tesseract or I'll destroy it." He says. </b>
</p><p><b>"You can't there is no stopping it, there is only the war."</b> </p><p>"You're so dramatic." Valkyrie said. "I'm glad I never met you two when you were this old." </p><p>
  <b>Loki jumps down on him. They start fighting. Loki shoots him with the scepter. The scepter and the hammer collide, knocking the 'K' off of the tower. 3 police cars drive into the city. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>The jet finally arrives. "Stark, we're on your three, headed northeast." Natasha says.</b>
</p><p>
  <b> "What did you stop for drive through?"</b>
</p><p>"Yeah because you can totally get drive through in planes." Ned said.</p><p>
  <b>"Swing up park, I'm gonna lay 'em out for you." Tony flies past the jet a hoard of Chitauri following him. Natasha shoots them. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Sir we have more incoming." JARVIS warns.</b>
</p><p>
  <b> "Fine. Let's keep the occupied." Loki and Thor are still fighting. The jet flies up to the tower. Clint looks out the window. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Nat?" He asks. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"I see him." Natasha starts firing at Loki. Loki knocks Thor to the ground and shoots at the jet. The jet starts to fall. Thor tackles Loki. They continue their fight. Clint tries his best to land the jet away from the people.</b>
</p><p>"At least you didn't crash it." Tony said. </p><p>
  <b>The three of them exit the jet. "We've got to get back up there." Steve says. They stop and stare at the portal. </b>
</p><p>"Now is not the time to be distracted." Hope said.</p><p>
  <b>A leviathan comes through the portal. </b>
</p><p>"And now there's that thing." Scott said.</p><p>"There was a few of those things." Tony said.</p><p>
  <b>The leviathan flies past Natasha, Steve and Clint. Chitauri jump off of it and land on the sides of buildings. "Stark, are you seeing this?" Steve asks. </b>
</p><p><b>"Seeing, still working on believing."</b> </p><p>"Well you should probably get to that then." Strange said.</p><p>
  <b>Where's Banner has he shown up yet?" Tony asks.</b>
</p><p>
  <b> "Banner?" "Just keep me posted. *He looks at the leviathan* JARVIS find me a soft spot." Tony says and shoots it. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>Thor has Loki pinned now. "Look at this. Look around you. *Loki does and for a moment there is regret in his eyes* You think this madness will end with your rule?" Thor asks. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Its too late. Its too late to stop it." Loki says. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"No. We can. Together." Loki pauses then stabs him. </b>
</p><p>"You really like stabbing him don't you?" Valkyrie asked. </p><p>"Just curious... how are you not affected by anything going on here?" Hope asked.</p><p>"I'm from the future." Valkyrie answered as if that answered Hope's question, which it did but she didn't know that yet.</p><p>
  <b>Thor falls to his knees. "Sentiment."</b>
</p><p>"Don't like when people try to care either?" Natasha asked</p><p>"Easier when they Don't" Loki responded.</p><p>
  <b>Thor kicks Loki through the glass, picks him up, then throws him back down. Loki rolls off the roof and onto a Chitauri ship. Thor pulls the blade out of his side. Natasha a Clint are ducked behind a taxi, Steve runs over to them. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"We've got civilians still trapped up there." Clint says. Steve looks up and sees Loki on one of the ships, firing at random objects. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Loki. They're fish in a barrel down there."</b>
</p><p>"What does that even mean?" Peter asked.</p><p>"They're an easy target." Steve responded.</p><p>
  <b>A group of Chitauri lands around them. "We got this Its good. Go." Natasha says. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Do you think you can hold them off?" Steve asks. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Captain it would be my genuine pleasure." Clint says, the shoots one. Natasha joins him. Steve leaves, Chitauri firing at him. Clint helps people to safety.</b>
</p><p>
  <b> "Just like Budapest all over again." Natasha says when Clint joins her. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"You and I remember Budapest very differently."</b>
</p><p>"What happened in Budapest?" Steve asked.</p><p>"Nothing." Clint and Natasha said simultaneously.</p><p>
  <b>Steve runs through the street, dodging blasts. Cops are shooting at the Chitauri. "Its gonna be an hour before they can scramble the national guard." An officer says. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"National guard? Does the army know what's happening here."</b>
</p><p>"I feel like the whole world would have known by this point." Peter said. </p><p><b>"Do we?"</b> </p><p>"Alien invasion, we knew it would happen at some point, just thought we had more time." MJ said.</p><p>
  <b>Steve lands on one of the cop cars. "You need men in these buildings, there are people inside and they're gonna be running right into the line of fire you take them to the basements or through the subway. You keep them off the streets. I need a perimeter as far back as 39th." He says. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Why the hell should I take orders from you."</b>
</p><p>"Because its obvious that you have no idea what you're doing and you just admitted to not knowing what's going on." Strange said.</p><p>
  <b>Chitauri land next to Steve and he kills them both and takes one of their guns. </b>
</p><p>"That's a good answer too." Quill said.</p><p>
  <b>The officer walks away. "I need men in those buildings. Lead the people down and away from the streets. We're gonna set up a perimeter all the way down to 39th street."</b>
</p><p>"There we go." Howard said.</p><p>
  <b>Tony flies up to a leviathan and fires a hoard of bullets at it, it crashes into a building and chunks of the building fall into the street. "Well, we got its attention. What the hell is step 2." He flies away, the leviathan chases him.</b>
</p><p>"Maybe you should have thought that one through." Rhodey said.</p><p>
  <b>Clint stabs a Chitauri with an arrow. Natasha is sitting on ones shoulders. One tackles Clint. Natasha is fighting two of them with spear. Another group drops down. Clint starts shooting at them. Steve joins and hits three with his shield. Thor joins striking three with lightening. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"What's the story upstairs?" Steve asks. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"The power surrounding the cube is impenetrable."</b>
</p><p>"But we knew that." Peter said.</p><p>
  <b>"Thor's right we gotta deal with these guys." Tony says.</b>
</p><p>"You should have called me in, Nick." Carol said.</p><p>"I thought you would be busy, with a different threat." Fury said.</p><p>"I think this counts as a threat worth my time." Carol said.</p><p>
  <b>"How do we do this?" Natasha asks. </b>
</p><p><b>"As a team." Steve answers.</b> </p><p>"I like the enthusiasm but that didn't answer the question." Shuri said.</p><p>
  <b>"I have unfinished business with Loki." Thor says. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Yeah? Get in line."</b>
</p><p>"Oh come on Clint, let his brother have at him first." Tony joked.</p><p>Loki thought back to what he said to Volstagg, when they were going to fight the dark elves. 'Evidently there will be a line'.</p><p>
  <b>"Save it." </b>
</p><p>"Your like a dad trying to get his kids to stop fighting." Scott said.</p><p>
  <b>"Loki's going to keep this fight focused on us, and that's what we need. Without him things could run wild, We got Stark up top, he's going to need us to..." A motorcycle approaches. Steve turns around to see Bruce.</b>
</p><p>"About time you got there." Valkyrie said.</p><p>
  <b>"So this all seems horrible."</b>
</p><p>"You think!?" </p><p>
  <b>"I've seen worse." Natasha says. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Sorry."</b>
</p><p>
  <b> "No, we could use a little worse." </b>
</p><p>"You could." Gamora said.</p><p>
  <b>"Stark, we got him." Steve says. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Banner?" Tony asks. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Just like you said." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Then tell him to suit up, I'm bringing the party to you."</b>
</p><p>"We should work on your definition of the word party." Natasha said.</p><p>
  <b>Tony flies in, a leviathan follows. "I- I don't see how that's a party." Natasha says. </b>
</p><p>"Because its- its not a party." Peter said.</p><p>
  <b>Bruce takes a few steps toward it. "Dr. Banner. Now might be a good time for you to get angry." Steve says. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"That's my secret, cap. I'm always angry."</b>
</p><p>"Badass." Scott said.</p><p>
  <b>Hulk punches the leviathan, its tail flips up, Tony shoots it, cutting the leviathan in half. Chitauri start roaring. The avengers are standing in a circle. Hulk roars. Natasha re-loads her gun. </b>
</p><p>"Bunch of morons, standing in a circle." Rocket says. The avengers looked offended. </p><p>
  <b>Loki watches. "Send the rest." he says.</b>
</p><p>"Or, just hear me out, don't send the rest." Ned said.</p><p>
  <b>More leviathans fly through  the portal. Natasha looks up. "Guys." She says.</b>
</p><p>
  <b> "Call it, cap." Tony says.</b>
</p><p>
  <b> "Alright listen up. Until we can close that portal, our priority is containment. Barton, I want you on that roof. Eyes on everything. Call out patterns and strays. Stark you got the perimeter anything gets more than three blocks out, you turn it back or you turn it to ash." Steve says. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Can you give me a lift?" Clint asks. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Right, better clench up, Legolas." Tony picks him up, flies up and drops Clint off on a roof.</b>
</p><p>"Legolas?" Scott asked.</p><p>"Hey, I consider that a compliment, Legolas is awesome." Clint said.</p><p>
  <b>"Thor, you gotta try and bottleneck that portal. Slow them down. You got the lightening, light the bastards up." Thor flies up. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>Steve looks to Natasha. "You and me, we stay on the ground. We keep the fighting here. And Hulk... smash." Hulk gives a feral grin.</b>
</p><p>"That smile looks scary as hell." Quill said.</p><p><b>Hulk jumps onto a building, grabs a Chitauri, he jumps into another building and does the same. Thor flies to the top of a tall building, he summons lightening, and sends it into the portal, electrocuting everything in its path.</b> </p><p>"Holy shit." The teenagers cheer.</p><p>
  <b>Fury is watching the news coverage. "Sir. The council is on." Maria says. </b>
</p><p>"Those bastards." Fury muttered.</p><p>
  <b>"Stark, you've got a lot of strays sniffing your tail." Clint says. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"I'm just trying to keep them off the streets." Tony says.</b>
</p><p>
  <b> "Well, they can't bank worth a damn. *He shoots one without looking* Find a tight corner." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"I will roger that." Tony says. Clint shoots some Tony makes a sharp turn some Chitauri following him crash tow more follow.</b>
</p><p>
  <b> "Oh boy." Tony mutters and flies into a tunnel. He blows up the two still following him. </b>
  <b>"Nice call, What else you got?" He asks. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Thor's taking on a squadron down on 6th." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"And he didn't invite me."</b>
  <b></b>
</p><p>"Because its not a party." Pepper said.</p><p>
  <b>A leviathan is about to crash into a building. Hulk runs through from the other side and pulls it away. Natasha is lying on the hood of a car, she wraps her legs around the Chitauri's neck and shoots it with her spear. Steve drops down next to her. "Captain, none of this is gonna mean a damn thing if we don't close that portal.</b>
</p><p>"She's right." Nebula said. </p><p>
  <b>"Our biggest guns couldn't touch it." Steve says. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Well, maybe its out about guns."</b>
</p><p>"Now you're on the right track." Gamora said.</p><p>
  <b>"If you wanna get up there you're gonna need a ride." Natasha looks up. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"I got a ride, I could use a boost though." Natasha backs up, Steve crouches down. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Are you sure about this?" Natasha looks up, uneasy.</b>
</p><p>
  <b> "Yeah, its gonna be fun." </b>
</p><p>"Looks fun." Shuri said.</p><p>
  <b>She runs toward him, he lifts her up with his shield and she grabs onto one of the ships. She pulls herself up and pushes a Chitauri off. She grabs the pilot. "Okay. Turn, turn, turn!" She says frantically, it turns, narrowly missing the building. Tony flies down to the ground and helps Steve with the foot-soldiers. He shoots a beam at Steve's shield the blast bounces off, hitting two of them.</b>
</p><p>"That's useful." Peggy said.</p><p>
  <b>Tony flies back up, knocking Chitauri off of the building. Clint shoots an arrow at a Chitauri pilot, the ship goes down. Hulk and Thor are fighting the ones on the leviathan. Thor electrocutes it and it crashes into a museum. Hulk and Thor are standing next to each other, Hulk Punches him.</b>
</p><p>"haha payback!" Quill yelled.</p><p>"I thought you said you two were friends." Loki said. </p><p><b>The army is now in the city</b>. </p><p>"Its about time they got there." Hope said.</p><p>
  <b>"Captain, the bank on 42nd past Madison. They've cornered a lot of civilians in there." Clint says. </b>
</p><p><b>"I'm on it." Inside the bank, Chitauri have guns pointed at a large group of people.</b> </p><p>"Oh no."</p><p><b>One activates something, Steve throws his shield at it, he kicks a table at two more, throws a dead one into the group. One grabs him by the neck. "Everyone! Clear out!" He yells. The beeping gets faster. Steve flips over one of the Chitauri and another shoots it. One grabs the bomb and throws it at Steve before it explodes. Steve is knocked out of the building and he lands on a car. Steve gets down and the civilians are being escorted out of the building by police.</b> </p><p>"At least they're all safe now." Wanda said.</p><p><b>"Director Fury, the counsel has made a decision." The councilwoman says.</b> </p><p>"Dumb-ass decision." Fury muttered.</p><p>
  <b>"I recognize the counsel has made a decision, but given that its a stupid-ass decision, I've elected to ignore it."</b>
</p><p>A few people laughed. "What was the decision?" Mantis asked.</p><p>"You'll see." Tony said.</p><p>
  <b>"Director, you're closer than any of our subs. You scramble that jet-" </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"That is the island of Manhattan, councilman. Until I'm certain my team can't hold it, I will not order nuclear strike against a civilian population!"</b>
</p><p>"Their solution to save the city was to blowup the city!?" Gamora yelled. </p><p>Valkyrie and Loki were reminded of Thor's plan to save Asgard.</p><p>
  <b>"If we don't hold them here, we lose everything." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"if I send that bird out we already have." He says and hangs up the call.</b>
</p><p>"Let me guess, they tried to nuke the city anyway?" Carol asked. </p><p>
  <b>Loki starts following Natasha. "Oh, you." She mutters. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Hawkeye!" </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Nat, what are you doing?" Clint asks.</b>
</p><p>
  <b> "Uh- a little help!?" </b>
  <b>She yells. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"I got him." Clint says and shoots an arrow at Loki, who catches it, it blows up. </b>
</p><p>"You knew he would catch it." Gamora says. "Of course I did."</p><p>Loki falls to the balcony, knocking the 'T' off of the building. Natasha jumps off the ship and lands on the roof. Hulk tackles Loki.</p><p>Loki stiffened.</p><p>
  <b>Loki stands back up. "Enough! You are, you are all of you, beneath me! I am a god you dull creature and I will not be bullied by-"</b>
</p><p>
  <b> Hulk picks him up by his feet and smashes him into the floor five times. "Puny god." Hulk says and walks away. Leaving Loki traumatized.</b>
</p><p>"So that's why there was large imprints in the floor." Pepper said. </p><p>"So that's why you're scared of the big guy." Valkyrie teased.</p><p>"I am not scared of him, I just don't like him very much." Loki said.</p><p>"But you were scared of him." Loki said nothing, leaving her to win the argument.</p><p>
  <b>Natasha walks up to the machine. "The scepter..." Selvig says. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Doctor." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Loki's scepter. The energy. The tesseract can't fight, but you can't protect against yourself." "It's not your fault. You didn't know what you were doing." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Actually I think I did." </b>
</p><p>"They knew what they were doing but they didn't know it was wrong." Gamora explained, seeing some looks of confusion.</p><p>
  <b>"I built in a safety to cut their power source."</b>
</p><p>"Smart." Rocket said.</p><p>
  <b>"Loki's scepter."</b>
</p><p>
  <b> "It may be able to close the portal. *He looks at Loki's forgotten scepter* And I'm looking right at it."</b>
</p><p>"Finally."</p><p>
  <b>Thor is fighting Chitauri on a ship. A leviathan crashes through a building, causing it to start falling. "Sir we will lose power before we penetrate that shell." JARVIS says. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"JARVIS, you ever hear the tale of Jonah?"</b>
</p><p>"Tony, this better not be going where I think this is going." Pepper said.</p><p>
  <b>"I wouldn't consider him a role model."</b>
</p><p>"Yeah, I wouldn't either man." Rhodey said.</p><p>
  <b>Tony flies into the leviathan's mouth and blows it up from the inside. He crashes out the other end, hitting a phone booth and a taxi.</b>
</p><p>"I mean... it worked." Peter said.</p><p>
  <b>He stands back up and gets hit twice by a Chitauri weapon. They start gaining on him. </b>
</p><p>"Shit."</p><p>
  <b>Clint, still on the roof, turns around and shoots the one behind him, he hits the other with his bow and kicks him off the roof. A large group starts flying toward him. He jumps off the roof and uses a grappling hook arrow then swings into a nearby building. Hulk throws some Chitauri around and gets shot he looks up and sees a large group firing at him. </b>
</p><p>"And now you're getting your asses kicked." Rocket said.</p><p>
  <b>"Director Fury is no longer in command. Override order 7-alpha-1-1."</b>
</p><p>
  <b> "7-alpha-1-1 confirmed. We are go for takeoff." The pilot says.</b>
</p><p>"Son of a bitch." Scott said.</p><p>
  <b>"Sir, we have a bird in motion! Anyone on the deck, we have a rogue bird! We need to shut it down! Repeat takeoff is not authorized!" Maria yells. Fury starts running outside, he blows up the plane. </b>
</p><p>"That's one way to do it." Tony said.</p><p>
  <b>Another one takes off.</b>
</p><p>"Shit!"</p><p>
  <b>"Stark, do you hear me? You have a missile headed straight for the city." Fury says. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>Tony tries to stand up. "How long?" He asks and gets hit in the head twice. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"3 minutes max. The payload will wipe out Midtown."</b>
</p><p>
  <b> "JARVIS put everything we got into the thrusters."</b>
</p><p> <strong>"I just did." Tony flies away.</strong></p><p>Pepper grabbed Tony's arm.</p><p>
  <b>The pilot releases the nuke. "Package is sent. Detonation in 2 minutes 30 seconds, mark." </b>
</p><p>"Idiots." Fury said, referring to the counsel.</p><p>
  <b>Steve and Thor are fighting foot-soldiers on the ground. Steve gets shot. Thor knocks a car at them, then helps Steve up. "Are you ready for another bout?" He asks. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"What are you getting sleepy?"</b>
</p><p>A few people laughed softly.</p><p>
  <b>Selvig and Natasha are working to shut the portal down. "Right at the crown." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>Natasha sticks the scepter into the energy field. "I can close it. Can anybody copy? I can shut the portal down." She says.</b>
</p><p>
  <b> "Do it." Steve says. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"No, wait." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Stark, these things are still coming." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"I got a nuke coming in, its gonna blow in less than a minute... and I know just where to put it."</b>
  <b></b>
</p><p>"Oh, my god." Wanda whispered.</p><p>
  <b>He grabs the nuke ans starts directing it toward the portal. "Stark, you know that's a one-way trip." Steve says. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Save the rest for the turn J." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Sir, shall I try Ms. Potts?" JARVIS asks. </b>
</p><p>Pepper clutched Tony's arm harder. </p><p>
  <b>"Might as well." Tony says softly. Pepper is shown watching all of this on the news. He phone ringing behind her, she doesn't answer. The SHIELD agents are also shown watching. The avengers all watch as Tony flies into the portal. The agents cheer. Jarvis powers down, the hud goes black. Tony lets the nuke go and it blows the mother-ship up.</b>
</p><p>Nobody noticed Tony wasn't looking at the screen anymore, they were too engrossed in what was going on.</p><p>
  <b>On Earth, the Chitauri all power down.</b>
</p><p>"Told, you just blow up the mother-ship." Rocket said.</p><p><b>Tony closes his eyes and starts falling back toward the portal. "Come on, Stark." Natasha said</b>.</p><p>"I didn't know you cared." Tony joked, or at least tried to.</p><p>
  <b>"Close it." Steve says. Natasha does. The portal starts shrinking. Tony falls through just before it closes. </b>
</p><p>Everyone who wasn't there or isn't from Earth let out breaths of relief.</p><p>
  <b>He starts falling faster. "Son of a gun." Steve says. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"He's not slowing down." Thor notices and goes to fly up and catch him. Hulk gets there first. He throws himself and Tony back to the ground and shoves Tony off of him. Thor and Steve run over to them. Thor pushed him onto his back and tore his face-plate off. Steve leans down to see if he's breathing. </b>
</p><p>Tony still hasn't looked back at the screen, eyes squeezed shut.</p><p>
  <b>Hulk roars. Tony wakes with a gasp. Steve looks at him, shocked. Hulk roars again. "What the hell? What just happened?" Tony asks, still breathing heavily.</b>
</p><p>Tony finally looked back at the screen.</p><p>
  <b>"Please tell me nobody kissed me."</b>
</p><p>Pepper, Rhodey and Happy laughed at their friends antics. </p><p>
  <b>"We won." Steve says softly. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Alright, yay! Hurray! Good job guys. Let's just not come in tomorrow. Let's just take a day. Have you ever tried shawarma?"</b>
</p><p>The avengers smiled.</p><p>
  <b>"There's a shawarma joint about two blocks from here, I don't know what it is but I want to try it." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"We're not finished yet." Thor says.</b>
</p><p>
  <b> "And then shawarma after." </b>
</p><p>"Why do you always have to eat something after a near-death experience?" happy asked. </p><p>
  <b>Loki struggles to sit up. He turns around to see the avengers, he puts his hands up in surrender. "If its all the same to you... I'll have that drink now."</b>
</p><p>Valkyrie laughed but showed down when she noticed she was the only one who was. </p><p>
  <b>"Despite the devastation of what has been confirmed as an extraterrestrial attack the extraordinary heroics of the group known as the avengers has been many a cause not only for comfort, but for celebration." A news reporter says. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Its just really great knowing they're out there. That someone is watching over us."</b>
</p><p>
  <b> "I love you Thor."</b>
</p><p>Thor's eyes widened in shock.</p><p>
  <b>"I don't exactly feel safer with those things out there." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"It just seems like there's a lot they're not telling us."</b>
</p><p>"She's right, but that's not the point." Coulson said.</p><p>
  <b>"Superheros in New York? Give me a break." A man(Stan Lee) Says. </b>
</p><p><b>"These so- called heroes have to be held responsible for the destruction done to this city."</b> </p><p>"We'll cross that bridge when it gets here." Steve said</p><p>
  <b>"This was their fight. Where are they now?" </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Tough questions are being asked about the avengers themselves. Their sudden appearance and their sudden disappearance." The avengers and a chained and muzzled Loki are in a park. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"What this is somehow their fault? Captain America saved my life. Wherever he is, wherever any of them are I just want to say thank you." A woman says. </b>
</p><p>"Your welcome." The avengers said, despite knowing the woman couldn't hear them.</p><p>
  <b>Fury is shows watching them ans talking to the world security counsel. "Where are the avengers?" One of the members asks. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"I'm not currently tracking their whereabouts. I'd say they've earned their leave of absence." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"And the tesseract?" Selvig takes out a device.</b>
</p><p>
  <b> "The tesseract is where it belongs *Tony opens the case containing the tesseract* Someone puts it into the device* Out of our reach."</b>
</p><p>"Finally came to your senses." Gamora said.</p><p>
  <b>"That's not your call." </b>
</p><p>"But somehow its yours?" Scott asked.</p><p>
  <b>"I didn't make it. I just didn't argue with the god that did." Selvig hands the device to Thor. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"So you let him take it and the war criminal, Loki who should be answering for his crime." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Oh I think he will be." Thor holds one end of the device toward Loki, who takes it. Thor twists the handle and they leave, presumably for Asgard. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"I don't think you understand what you've started." Steve shakes Tony's hand. Natasha gets out of a car.</b>
</p><p>
  <b> "Letting the avengers lose on this world." She hands Bruce a bag. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"They're dangerous." </b>
</p><p>"You bet your ass we are." Tony said.</p><p>
  <b>Bruce gets into a car with Tony. "They surely are, and the whole world knows it. Every world knows it."</b>
</p><p>"You have no idea how true that last statement is." Gamora said.</p><p>
  <b>"Was that the point of all this? A statement?" Steve is on his motorcycle. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"A promise." Fury says and walks out of the room. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Sir, how does it work now? They've gone their separate ways. Some, pretty extremely far. If we get into a situation like this again, what happens then?" Maria asks. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"They'll come back." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Are you really sure about that?" </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"I am." </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Why?" </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Because we'll need them to."</b>
</p><p>"Still doubtful agent Hill?" Clint asked.</p><p>Maria shakes her head. "Not anymore."</p><p>
  <b>Tony rolls out some holographic blueprints. Pepper uses her hand to raise a design for the re-model. The camera zooms out showing that only the 'A' remains on the tower.</b>
</p><p>"That's nice imagery." Hope said.</p><p><b>The sanctuary is shown. The Other is talking to Thanos. </b><b>"Humans. They are not the cowering wretches we were promised. They stand. They are unruly and therefore cannot be ruled. To challenge them is to court death." Thanos turns around and smiles.</b> </p><p>"Who is that?" Fury asked. "That is who you should be worried about. Thanos." Gamora said.</p><p>
  <b>The avengers are shown eating shawarma. </b>
</p><p>"It nobody gonna question why that place was still open after an alien invasion?" Peter asked.</p><p> </p>
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